China youths

[Vox pop] How do Chinese people see AI?

In recent years, China has become one of the fastest-moving players in the global AI race. AI is now becoming part of everyday life for many Chinese people. And now, amid the sweeping changes triggered by this technological wave, ThinkChina’s Lu Lingming and Yi Jina speak with some Chinese to hear what they really think about AI today.

Lu Lingming

Why China’s youth are swapping luxury for local brands

With young consumers in China looking beyond established Western luxury brands, homegrown brands are increasingly winning people over with their designs and quality. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Liu Liu finds out more.

Liu Liu

[Big read] OpenClaw sparks China’s one-person AI start-up boom

China’s young entrepreneurs are embracing a new wave of AI-driven solo start-ups, as the OpenClaw craze reshapes how one-person companies are built, scaled and powered by digital “agents”. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Yush Chau reports from China.

Yush Chau

[Big read] China’s young workers pay the price of AI before reaping the gains

Jobs are not only being replaced by artificial intelligence, those seemingly secure will be restructured, with different tasks or a cut in pay. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Li Kang speaks with Chinese employees who are feeling the impact to find out what they are doing to secure their future.

Li Kang

As jobs dry up, personal trainers are going door-to-door

In China’s cities, trainers are bringing the gym to people’s doorstep — turning courtyards into classrooms and fitness into a booming “on-demand” service. But as doubts over income, trust and longevity grow, is this just a fleeting trend?

Caixin Global

Xinjiang’s rising job market: A blessing and a burden?

In some sectors, Xinjiang has generally outpaced the national average, but such positive indicators may not align with the actual employment experiences for some groups, especially the minority groups. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Li Kang speaks with youths from Xinjiang to find out more.

Li Kang

[Big read] China’s ‘fur kids’ fuel a billion-dollar pet boom

China’s growing love for pets has created a billion-dollar industry, with smart devices, AI services and full life-cycle care. Local governments are also backing the trend to boost domestic consumption. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Zeng Shi speaks to industry players to find out more about the shift in social attitudes and policies that have led to this growth.

Zeng Shi

AI salaries soar, but China can’t find enough experts

China’s AI sector is booming, with top salaries reaching millions of RMB, yet companies still struggle to fill roles. Lianhe Zaobao’s Liu Liu examines how firms are wooing talent and whether universities can keep pace.

Liu Liu

[Big read] Li Zexiang: The professor behind China’s drone boom and its future engineers

When DJI CEO Frank Wang’s undergraduate project failed, most would have turned him away. But Professor Li Zexiang, a leading innovator in China’s engineering education, recognised his potential and took him under his wing. Han Yong May, deputy editor-in-chief of SPH’s Chinese Media Group, sits down with Li as part of Lianhe Zaobao’s Future 365 interview series, to find out how his new engineering education system is building a new generation of engineers.

Han Yong May

[Big read] From Egypt to Russia: Chinese men looking overseas for love

Facing steep bride prices and mounting pressures at home, some Chinese men are finding wives abroad. Three men share how marriages with women from Egypt, Indonesia and Russia reshaped their lives. Lianhe Zaobao associate China news editor Sim Tze Wei speaks to the couples about their journeys.

Sim Tze Wei

From Nepal to Kazakhstan: Why Chinese students study in unlikely destinations

Amid the fierce competition in China’s higher education, many Chinese youths are choosing to stay off the beaten — and more expensive — path to further their studies in less popular countries such as Nepal and Kazakhstan. However, Lianhe Zaobao journalist Lee Chee Yang finds out that notwithstanding the challenges of language and academic pressure, there is no guarantee of improvement in prospects for these students.

Lee Chee Yang

Retiring on 300,000 RMB: China’s youth flee big cities for smaller towns

Amid uncertainty in China’s economic outlook and job market, the American concept of “Financial Independence, Retire Early” has trended among Chinese youth. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Li Kang finds out that people are motivated not just by the goal of early retirement, but also by regaining control of their time and life.

Li Kang