Society

After the political and societal changes that have taken place in Hong Kong in the 25 years since the handover, what’s left in the aftermath? Zaobao journalist Tai Hing Shing ponders the nostalgic, the bittersweet and the hard realities of Hong Kong’s present and future.

Former journalist Jessie Tan shares her observations as a mother in China as she looks at the outdoor spaces where Chinese children can play, learn and grow. While the options are plenty, the costs to entertain children cannot be avoided, posing a challenge to lower-income families.

PCR testing has become the norm in China and is now a burgeoning industry. However, despite the clear benefits of effective pandemic control, authorities must consider the cost implications before large-scale normalised testing can be implemented across the country. Zaobao correspondent Yang Danxu looks into the matter.

Amid a bleak economic outlook, a pay increment has been proposed for Hong Kong’s civil servants, sparking criticisms that the Hong Kong government is out of touch with popular sentiment. Zaobao journalist Tai Hing Shing observes that the backlash is not just a public outcry but a way for Beijing to vent its frustration against the civil servants too.

Recently, there has been an uproar in China over illustrations in school textbooks, with comments that the characters drawn are “ugly”, with some depicted in suggestive poses and wearing questionable designs on clothing. Is this merely a question of aesthetics, or does the problem go deeper? Zaobao correspondent Yu Zeyuan looks into the issue.

As Shanghai slowly moves towards resuming life and business, Zaobao’s Shanghai correspondent Chen Jing files her last entry in a series of articles documenting the lockdown.

The Hong Kong government has announced that it is considering blocking Telegram in response to doxxing content on the social media platform. The app has also been accused of playing a key role in facilitating social and democratic movements. But if Hong Kong bans Telegram, will that be the city's first step towards conforming with the mainland’s internet censorship rules?

An eight-storey building adjacent to the Changsha Medical University collapsed on 29 April, killing 54 people, mainly students. It turned out that the building was a "self-build" that had been modified by the owners rather than constructed by developers. Authorities are now clamping down on safety inspections of building structures, but is it a case of too little, too late?

China’s education ministry recently introduced a new curriculum for primary and secondary students with the aim of teaching life skills. From cooking to technology applications, young children will be better equipped to face society. However, parents have voiced their concerns about the added burden on both children and parents.