Commercialisation

[Big read] Nip, tuck and cherry blossoms: How South Korea became the world’s beauty clinic

South Korea is known for its cosmetic surgery industry, with many foreigners among those who seek such services. What makes South Korea such a big draw? Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Kang Gwiyoung finds out more.

Kang Gwiyoung

The end of Shaolin Inc.? A new abbot, a new era

In the days since Abbot Shi Yongxin was replaced by Abbot Shi Yinle, the once highly commercialised Shaolin Temple has seen an overhaul in temple practices, returning to the focus on religious training and self-sufficiency through farming. Lianhe Zaobao’s China Desk takes a look at the changes.

China Desk, Lianhe Zaobao

Abbot Shi Yongxin of Shaolin Temple has finally fallen

After years of rumours, the scandals of Shi Yongxin, abbot of Shaolin Temple, have finally caught up to him. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Yu Zeyuan takes a look at the Buddhist leader’s vice that has shaken the world.

Yu Zeyuan

Is Peru’s Chancay Port Trump’s next target?

Now that Trump has successfully pressured Panama into withdrawing from China’s Belt and Road Initiative, what will his next target be? According to several experts, he might be honing in on Peru’s Chancay Port. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Sim Tze Wei tells us more.

Sim Tze Wei

Chinese Singaporeans’ longing for Eslite bookstore and Taiwanese culture

Eslite Spectrum president Wu Min-Chieh shares her thoughts on the popularity of Eslite bookstore among Singaporeans, even though Eslite has yet to open a branch on the island.

Wu Min-Chieh

Pinduoduo's popularity a sign of Chinese consumption downgrading wave

Popular Chinese online shopping app Pinduoduo has done well in terms of profits, outdoing competitors such as Alibaba and JD.com. While a major factor is due to revenue from Pinduoduo's multinational e-commerce platform Temu, it may also be a sign that consumers in China are changing their spending habits and going for cost-effectiveness and value for money.

Wong Siew Fong

[Video] The last few guardians of Beijing's hutong culture

While hutongs are a unique historical sight in Beijing, they are quickly disappearing as people move out and relocate to government housing with modern amenities. Those who remain are generally the older generation, while the look and function of hutongs is also changing. How much longer will hutongs last?

Wong Siew Fong

[Video] Tibet aims to boost tourism but not at the expense of security

Since the relaxation of anti-epidemic measures in China, officials have been ramping up efforts to promote tourism in Tibet. However, the dilemma between cultural preservation and developing the tourism industry, and that between security and economic development, are issues that could curb the autonomous region's opening up to tourists. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Wong Siew Fong shares findings from her media visit to Lhasa and Shannan.

Wong Siew Fong

Newcomers Douyin and Kuaishou takes on tech giants to refresh the face of e-commerce

Technology expert Yin Ruizhi delves into the differences between traditional e-commerce platforms such as Alibaba and JD, and "interest-based" platforms such as Douyin and Kuaishou, and explores the possibilities for what e-commerce might look like in the future, as both types of platforms operate alongside each other.

Yin Ruizhi

Corruption in China seeps into the Buddhist world

Amid the controversy over honouring Japanese war criminals, Xuanzang Temple in Nanjing has found itself in more hot water as its former abbot Chuanzhen was exposed for his connections in the business and official circles. Zaobao correspondent Yang Danxu gives a profile of this senior monk and what his secular activities mean for the temple and for Buddhism.

Yang Danxu

Southeast Asia should confront the threat of economic espionage from China and elsewhere

China is known for using cyber weapons to pursue geostrategic goals. In recent years, entities linked to the Chinese state have carried out alleged economic espionage of commercial firms in Southeast Asia. The region is increasingly vulnerable as it is home to some of the most rapidly growing knowledge-intensive sectors in the world. To help themselves, Southeast Asian governments should be more proactive in discussing the threat of economic espionage with foreign states and committing to norms of responsible state behaviour in cyberspace.

Gatra Priyandita

The truth behind the US's huge trade deficit

Economics professor Zhang Rui notes that the US's huge trade deficit cannot be looked upon in isolation from the dominance of the US dollar; when exporting countries hold more US dollars, they are more able to purchase US debt and support the US in issuing national debt and get US dollars to flow back to the US. This suggests that looking beyond the surface of its large trade deficit, the US's fundamentals remain strong and with the advantages it has in the capital account and services trade, there is little chance that its leading position in global trade can be usurped.

Zhang Rui