li-xin

Pizza Bao, Spaghetti Stir-Fry: Chinese Students Hack Home Cooking Abroad

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

To save money and recall nostalgic flavors from home, Chinese students abroad are increasingly posting videos online of themselves making Chinese classic dishes, with some innovative, low-budget takes.

China Pushes for Homes to Be Completed Before They’re Sold

Top government regulators across multiple industries have issued policies encouraging the sale of finished homes in response to recent shifts in the housing market.

China’s Beloved Beef Noodles Are Getting a Rebrand

Lanzhou pulled noodles, a beloved food across China, are often sold by people from Qinghai, not Gansu, as the name suggests. Now, their branding is changing to fit reality.

A Chef Caught in a Middle East War Is China’s Latest Hit

“Once Upon a Time in the Middle East,” one of China’s top-grossing films this summer, centers on a Chinese restaurant owner who saves local orphans during a war in the region.

China’s Post-Gaokao Teens Are Spending Big Before College

This summer, 18-year-olds who have just completed the nation’s grueling college entrance exam are spending tens of thousands of yuan on vacations, electronics, and new hobbies before they start university.

Chinese Supermarket Chain Recruits Ex-Cons for 2nd Consecutive Year

Pangdonglai, known for its comparatively healthy working conditions and benefits, has announced it will recruit 20 former convicts who have served at least five years in prison.

Too Many Cooks: China’s Culinary Titles Face a Credibility Test

From chefs and restaurants to entire cities and towns, prestige titles have become a powerful branding tool. Now authorities are tightening rules around who can award and use them.

Video Game Accounts Can Be Inherited, Chinese Court Rules

The case marks a major instance of a domestic court ruling that game accounts can be inherited, overriding user agreements with gaming companies.

Chinese Village’s Viral Cicada Harvest Comes Under Fire

Scientists say that the uptick in cicada nymph collection, popularized by livestreaming, could damage local ecosystems.

China’s Largest Bookstore Launches Nationwide Same-Day Delivery

Experts say the value of the service lies not in profit but in how it can help bookstores reconstruct their connections to readers.

China’s Classic Storytellers Recapture the Magic With Harry Potter

Performers of traditional Chinese arts win over younger fans with fresh adaptations of global blockbusters featuring wizards, pirates, and ninjas.

Chinese Tech Firms Pitch AI Agents as the Future of Smartphones

At Shanghai’s World Artificial Intelligence Conference, tech companies showcased phones designed to understand user intent and coordinate tasks across services.

China-Proposed Global AI Organization Launched at WAIC

The organization, established on the eve of the opening of China’s annual World AI Conference, will advance international cooperation on how AI is developed and used.

China’s Answer to Disney Is Smaller, Cheaper, and More Social

From VR drama worlds to Labubu photo spots, Chinese companies are turning online fandoms into offline theme park-style attractions.

Guangdong Proposes Tighter Rules on Cancer-Linked Betel Nut

The province has set out plans to assess the current state of the industry surrounding the naturally occurring but addictive and cancer-causing stimulant before proceeding with legislation.

Hit Chinese Otome Game’s Werewolf Is Too Scary, Fans Say

The game’s developer believed a rugged, muscular werewolf could become its next virtual heartthrob. Many players, however, disagree.

String Theory: Yarn Crafts Find a New Generation in China

From weaving to knitting, yarn crafts are back in vogue in China. Young professionals and university students are using them to find peace and community, and to connect with family.

Title Fight: China’s New TV Credit Rules Target Toxic Fandoms

To ease fandom and legal disputes, names will now be listed according to the number of brushstrokes in actors’ surnames.

Robot, Giant, Ha Baby: China’s Many Versions of Erling Haaland

The Norway and Manchester City striker has become an online obsession in China, with fans creating memes and remixes exaggerating his size, expressions, and on-field feats.

No Team at the World Cup, China Rallies Around a Referee

Ma Ning, a veteran referee nicknamed “card master,” has become an unlikely celebrity in China, attracting sponsorship deals, viral memes, and millions of social media interactions.