li-xin

China’s Mercury Thermometer Ban Sparks Debate, and a Buying Rush

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

As authorities move to end production by 2026, households are split between safety concerns and trust in familiar devices.

Pain, Hunger, Viral Fame: Inside China’s Wildest Survival Show

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 Hunan province’s mountains, a bare-bones survival show pushes ordinary people to the edge while millions watch, searching for something real in an increasingly curated digital world.

Reality Bites: Meituan’s ‘Rosy’ Delivery Ad Hits a Nerve in China

An advertisement by food delivery giant Meituan about the possibilities of delivery work has led to criticism that the ad romanticizes a profession known for long hours and time pressure.

Another Day of (Artificial) Sun: China Unveils Fusion Energy Project

The country has publicly announced the creation of a new tokamak to advance its fusion energy research and clean energy ambitions, and invited international scientists to collaborate.

The Underground Economy Behind Children’s Smartwatches in China

Children racing to climb smartwatch-based social hierarchies are turning to a smartwatch “gray market,” where they can buy artificial likes and boost their watch account ratings.

Livestream Law: Why China’s Lawyers Are Taking Their Practice Online

From divorce battles to labor disputes, real-time legal advice is drawing huge audiences and reshaping how China’s young lawyers grow both their careers and their client bases.

A New Leaf: China’s First Autumn Break Triggers Travel Boom

This fall, multiple provinces have rolled out updated academic calendars to accommodate new holiday policies and local weather conditions, in the hope of encouraging family time and economic consumption.

Playing Tag: Oversized Clothing Labels Aim to Curb Order Returns

Amid the annual Double 11 shopping festival, apparel companies have begun attaching A4-paper-sized hangtags to garments to combat excessive returns, including from buyers who return garments after wearing them.

(Not) Old Enough! Chinese Kids’ Apps Under Fire for Explicit Ads

BabyBus, one of the nation’s largest educational app platforms, has been criticized by parents after their children witnessed violent and erotic ads on several of its apps.

Chinese Government Launches Campaign to Regulate Livestream Tipping

China’s internet regulator is stepping up efforts to curb fraudulent and exploitative tipping practices during livestreams, signaling intensified government scrutiny of the fast-growing sector.

Airport Controversy Sparks Accessibility Conversation in China

A well-known disabled Taiwanese singer called out airport staff online for the difficulty he had boarding a plane while using a wheelchair, leading to a national discussion on public accessibility.

Fast, Cheap, Stolen: The Plagiarism Behind China’s Short Drama Boom

As studios rush to feed China’s short-drama craze, web novel writers say their work is being taken, rewritten, and sold without consent or credit.

Winds of Change: China Unveils Vast Wind Power Goals for 2030

The country seeks to double its current wind capacity in the next five years, in line with its overall transition to renewable energies and a sustainable future.

Just a Number: China Eases Age Restrictions on Civil Service

Local governments across China are easing age restrictions for civil service applicants as part of a nationwide push to combat age discrimination, signaling a shift toward more inclusive hiring practices in the country.

AI to Health Care: Takeaways From Shanghai’s Top Think Tank

The mayor’s business advisory council met to discuss ways the city can become more globally competitive, with attending experts suggesting it capitalize on AI and develop its health care system.

Something Borrowed: Young Chinese Fuel a Golden Week Rental Boom

Young travelers are swapping ownership for access, renting drones, cameras, and camping gear to cut costs and waste.

In China’s ‘Sympathy Economy,’ Trauma Finds a Livestream Stage

By selling through personal tragedy, livestreamers are sparking solidarity purchases, and in recent months, fierce debate over whether compassion can, or should, be monetized.

Young Chinese Are Singing the Night Away — and Burning Calories

Young people are taking to KTV parlors explicitly so as to lose weight, with some losing multiple kilos over the course of several hours.

Shanghai Court Fines Game Boosting Studio, Setting Precedent 

The court’s ruling comes amidst the rise of in-game performance-enhancing methods in China, setting the stage for greater regulation of ethical practices in the gaming industry and among players.

Two Unlikely Travel Buddies Find Road to Stardom

After becoming close friends, a Chinese vlogger and a Bangladeshi rickshaw driver have captured the imagination of millions online.