Crime
Society
In Singapore, a woman knew her harasser. In China, 20 women never met theirs
Who should stop an online crowd? Singapore’s new Online Safety Commission helps victims get harmful posts taken down and find out who harmed them. China’s draft Anti-Cyberviolence Law would make platforms slow a crowd turning on someone before anyone complains. Victims need both, argues academic Ashton Ng. Platforms see the crowd first and should act first. But the crowd is made of individuals, and each of us can refuse to join it.
Ashton Ng
02 Oct 2026
Society
[Big read] How China’s pyramid schemes used ‘state secrets’ to lure victims
China’s pyramid schemes have abandoned centralised communes to recruit via social media, romance-baiting and promises of quick wealth. Lianhe Zaobao associate China news editor Sim Tze Wei examines how state rhetoric is weaponised to keep victims in the dark.
Sim Tze Wei
30 Sep 2026
Society
China’s catch-all border laws: A deterrent or cause for unnecessary anxiety?
China’s new border rules aim to deter cross-border crimes. But vague wording and stricter border checks are sparking widespread anxiety among everyday travellers. Lianhe Zaobao associate China news editor Chen Jing explains the ambiguity fuelling public concern.
Chen Jing
22 Sep 2026
Society
I went to Nanning to find the pyramid schemes that lured Singaporeans
After 52 Singaporeans were arrested in Guangxi, Lianhe Zaobao associate China news editor Sim Tze Wei travelled to Nanning to trace the pyramid schemes said to have lured them in — and found a city where real policies and projects can be repackaged as fake investment opportunities.
Sim Tze Wei
07 Sep 2026
Society
Dating apps build a business around catfishing older men
China’s dating scams are becoming an industrial business. Fraud rings use dating apps, fake local profiles and paid chat operators to build emotional ties with men and push them to spend on virtual gifts, ensnaring thousands of victims.
Caixin Global
14 Aug 2026
Society
Thai Buddhist amulets draw China’s anxious youth — and laundering networks
Thai Buddhist amulets have become a lifeline for anxious young Chinese — and an ideal vehicle for cross-border money laundering, forcing Thai authorities to crack down on the fast-growing amulet trade.
Caixin Global
07 Aug 2026
Society
Sold by the kilo: China’s pet protection blind spot
Celebrity dog Chutou was stolen and sold to a dog meat restaurant in China, with the thieves and the slaughterer nonchalantly and unapologetically offering compensation. Will this start a new awareness of animal rights? Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Li Kang gives her views.
Li Kang
22 Jun 2026
Politics
Can Trump survive a fourth political assassination attempt?
Reflecting on the assassination attempts against US President Trump, commentator Deng Yuwen argues that institutions once seen as sources of public confidence have weakened, while repeated gunfire in symbolic spaces of power shows external hatred increasingly penetrating the system’s boundaries. This is especially dangerous when the US president becomes a highly symbolic figure embodying political conflict.
Deng Yuwen
28 Apr 2026
Economy
China captures Prince Group associate tied to US$24 billion crypto network
The arrest of a senior associate of alleged crime boss Chen Zhi exposes the hidden machinery behind Prince Group’s empire, as China’s widening crackdown pulls back the curtain on a vast Southeast Asian network of scams, gambling and illicit finance.
Caixin Global
10 Apr 2026
Politics
Why alleged scam kingpin Chen Zhi was sent to China, not the US
Despite facing criminal charges in the US, Prince Group founder and chairman Chen Zhi was deported to China. His case sheds light on Cambodia’s geopolitical calculations — and why Beijing’s pull outweighed Washington’s claims. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Liu Liu looks at the implications.
Liu Liu
12 Jan 2026