Society

University students attend a job fair in Wuhan, in central China's Hubei province on 6 March 2024. (AFP)

Record-breaking number of graduates face bleak job market in China

With another record year for the number of graduates in China, Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Wong Siew Fong notes that the employment situation appears bleaker than ever. Those seeking to join the civil service are facing even tougher competition as government agencies cut down on hiring, while the private sector may not be the most attractive option for them.
The photo taken on 21 March 2024 shows employees selecting vegetables for exportation at a food factory in Nantong, in eastern China's Jiangsu province. (AFP)

Tackling food fraud upstream and downstream

Journalist Chieh-Yi Cheng notes that the traditional ways of food preparation have given way to high-tech production, leading to the improvement of food quality, as well as counterfeiting methods. It now becomes a cat-and-mouse game, with the need to boost efforts in surveillance, tracing funding sources, and tracking the quantity and movement of raw materials and ingredients, in order to nip the problem in the bud.
Attendee at a private masquerade singles mixer in Shanghai, China, on 13 January 2024. (Screen grab from Reuters)

[Video] China’s youths are saying no to marriage and having kids

Like young people in large cities elsewhere, many Chinese youths are forgoing the traditional milestones of marriage and parenthood. Besides focusing more on personal well-being and individual needs, they are also becoming more pessimistic about the future. Here's what they have to say.
A mass wedding in Sichuan province, on 13 March 2024. (CNS)

China’s marriage rate rebound could be a fluke

Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Chen Jing notes that even though the number of marriages in China rebounded last year, couples could be making up for avoiding getting married this year for various reasons. Will the marriage rate fall back down this year, despite calls from the authorities encouraging young people to get married and have families?
Ultra-short dramas are usually no longer than three minutes per episode, with about 100 episodes for each series. (Photo: Daryl Lim)

[Big read] Are ultra-short dramas in China just a fad?

Even as ultra-short dramas are all the rage in China right now, Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Daryl Lim takes a closer look at whether this currently popular trend will last, or fade away as quickly as it rose.
People visit a pedestrian street on the Bund in Shanghai, China, on 14 February 2024. (Hector Retamal/AFP)

Attaining 'success': Chinese scholars and their journeys in the US

US academic Wu Guo looks into what makes Chinese scholars a success in the US. Were they already considered a talent in China before heading to the US, or did they become talents only after completing their studies in the US? And while these Chinese scholars have gained recognition in the US, they are still anxious about being “seen” by mainstream American academics and building rapport with their American students.
Classes at National Chengchi University's Chinese Language Center operate in smaller sizes conducive to a higher level of engagement between teachers and students. (Photo: Woon Wei Jong)

Taiwan gains ground as destination to learn Mandarin

A record number of foreign students are choosing to study Mandarin in Taiwan, breaking pre-pandemic records. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Woon Wei Jong looks at the appeal of Taiwan as a Mandarin-learning hub and the impact on its international standing.
A man poses for a picture while visiting the Bund promenade along the Huangpu river in Shanghai, China, on 13 February 2024. (Hector Retamal/AFP)

China's private entrepreneurs labelled 'unpatriotic' by netizens

Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Yang Danxu notes that the recent public outcry against the heads of two prominent private enterprises for apparent transgressions in the name of “patriotism” does not bode well for the authorities’ efforts in support of the private sector.
A delivery rider scanning the QR payment code hanging around the neck of a substitute delivery auntie.

Last-mile delivery aunties spring up in Shenzhen

Lianhe Zaobao journalist Daryl Lim takes a look at a new budding sector in Shenzhen — substitute delivery. This last-mile delivery service, often undertaken by part-time “aunties”, is booming. But several issues are cropping up such as accountability for wrong or delayed food orders, how should this be handled and is it worth the risk?