education

Myopia Soaring Among Chinese School Students: New Survey

Timely reports on issues and events from across China. Drawing on a vast range of sources, these succinct articles provide insights into the significance of each issue in a wider context.

NEWS

Citing increased screen time and academic pressure, the study shows the prevalence of myopia among high schoolers is 89.7%.

Li Xin

Searching for Belonging Between China and Europe

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

VOICES & OPINION

The author, host of a Chinese-language podcast about living abroad, on the false dichotomy between integrating into local life and maintaining one’s Chinese identity.

Xie Ruohan

China Is Getting Seriously Worried About Student Anxiety

Articles that cut to the core of contemporary China. In-depth, informed, and carefully crafted, every piece is carried by the voices of the story’s participants.

FEATURES

In 2021, China made reducing the academic pressure on students a top policy priority. But anxiety disorders in schools are still a severe problem — and appear to be affecting more children at younger ages.

Ni Dandan

Majority of Parents Stressed Over Children’s Education: New Survey

The survey showed that a staggering 92% of the 535 parents said they had experienced emotional breakdowns due to their children’s education.

Families Are Abandoning China’s Rural Schools. Here’s Why That Matters.

School closures and consolidations are pushing rural families into towns and exacerbating the rural-urban divide.

Wang Dan

Young, Educated Chinese Can’t Find Work. Are Colleges to Blame?

Poor links between universities and employers make it hard for schools to give students the skills they need to succeed on the job market.

Li Xiaoguang

What’s Keeping China From Moving Up the Value Chain?

The “world’s factory” needs more skilled workers as it upgrades its manufacturing industry. But not everyone is on board.

Wang Xing

China Academy of Art Fires Professor Over Plagiarism Allegations

Recent allegations on social media claimed that many of the professor’s works closely resembled those of artists based abroad.

Yang Caini

University Dean Sacked After Sharing Lewd Image With Colleagues

An immediate investigation by the university confirmed that the professor had shared the pornographic image in a work group chat.

Ye Zhanhang

In Hainan’s FTZ, China Lets Foreign Universities Operate Solo

To diversify higher education and attract international students, foreign universities no longer need a Chinese partner in Hainan’s Free Trade Zone.

Is China Still a Meritocracy?

University students still believe that hard work brings success. Others aren’t so sure.

Li Zhonglu

China’s Latest Cynical Buzzword Is a Cry for Help 

“Kong Yiji literature” is often seen as a sign of disillusionment. But the willingness to criticize is cause for hope, not despair.

Cao Dongbo

For China’s Mothers, Big Tech Can Be a Burden

From WeChat groups to parenting fora and online shopping, the work of parenting in the digital age is falling almost entirely on women.

Peng Yinni

Amid Job Scarcity, College Grads Prefer Pursuing Higher Education

Those enrolling in master’s and PhD programs have dramatically increased compared with five years ago.

Chinese Tutoring Giants Set Sights on Overseas Expansion

Still reeling from the “double reduction” policy, private tutoring firms are looking for new markets abroad.

New Guideline Seeks to Promote Reading in Children 

Authorities aim to “lay a strong enough foundation” for young readers to develop a lifelong reading habit.

As China’s Hiring Season Kicks Off, Thousands Flock to Job Fair

Visual stories that get up close and personal with contemporary China. A mix of short videos, documentaries, photography, and data visualization.

MULTIMEDIA

With a record high of 236,000 students graduating in Shanghai this year, authorities say they will continue organizing similar job fairs, along with online and livestream events.

Wu Huiyuan 

A Chinese City Offers Free High School Tuition for Third Child

Weifang hopes the policy will encourage couples to have more children, while critics say it risks creating inequality.

Chinese University Offers Course to Excel in Civil Service Exam

Young graduates are increasingly vying for public sector jobs amid the country’s rising unemployment.

Hong Kong-Shenzhen Border: Back to Business, But Not as Usual

Three years of strict border restrictions disrupted the lives of thousands who depend on commuting between the two cities. More than a month after the border fully reopened, travel is still gradually returning to normal.