Contributions from individuals with unique perspectives to share. Hear from everyone, from experts and commentators to those whose voices are often marginalized.

VOICES & OPINION

voices-&-opinion

The Chinese Tea That Became a British Joke — and Those That Didn’t 

From prestigious imports to pantomime dames, Chinese tea terms in English reveal a history of admiration, adaptation, and distortion.

Hugo Tseng

How Cantonese Cuisine Became Part of the English Language

From dim sum to char siu, dozens of Cantonese culinary terms have entered the global lexicon, reflecting more than a century of migration, trade, and cultural exchange.

Before China’s First Emperor: Unearthing the Long Rise of the Qin

Over two millennia after its founding, historians still wonder: Why was it the Qin — and not any of the other Warring States — that unified China?

Wu Haiyun

The Chinese Resignation Letter That Caused a CEO-Toppling Storm

When a product manager at Alibaba’s workplace communication app DingTalk complained about relentless “involutionary” competition, Chinese workers across the country recognized her frustrations.

Cai Yineng

The Chinese Story Behind Chaoshan’s Big Screen Moment

Once pushed to the margins, Chaoshan culture has become a symbol of China’s changing relationship with regional identity, tradition, and belonging.

Xu Zhenhua

How Chaoshan Business Was Built on Morals, Not Contracts

Trust, not laws, underpinned century-old networks for remittances from overseas Chinese workers. Its legacy still informs China’s business culture today.

Wang Yujiao

Beyond Dubai’s Bling, Chinese Students See a Future

Drawn by affordable international schooling rather than glitz, Chinese students in the UAE are quietly rethinking how they see education, work, and future opportunities.

Xu Man

China’s Changing Climate May Be Why Your Garlic Is Moldy

Most of the world’s garlic is grown in China. But this year, unusual weather conditions this past fall, winter, and spring challenged the country’s farmers.

Li Weitan

At World AI Forum, Four Signs China’s AI Industry Is Growing Up

This year, China’s biggest AI conference showed an industry racing to cut computing costs, put AI agents to work, manage new risks, and find business models that can last.

Cai Yiwen

The Soybean That Built Northeast China

Long before China imported soybeans from Brazil and the United States, the crop powered the country’s economy in the northeast, shaping industry, empire, and the fate of many small towns.

Wang Hanyang

The Many Lives of Chaoshan

Once known mainly for its merchants and overseas networks, Chaoshan is back in the spotlight. This series examines how the region’s past and present offer insights into modern China.

From Chaoshan, Into the Stars

Chaoshan culture embraces new experiences, while remaining rooted in tradition. What would this mean on an intergalactic scale?

Chen Qiufan

The Chinese Clan Networks Behind the World’s Biggest Electronics Market

In Shenzhen’s Huaqiangbei, family networks, overseas connections, and decades of migration helped merchants from Chaoshan establish a commanding presence in the world’s largest electronics market.