Employment

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

The AI squeeze: No juniors, no seniors, more burnout

As older workers and the very young exit or are not able to even enter the workforce, the “squeezed middle” may have to take on extra burdens. For this group, the AI age might be making work harder, not easier, says NUS academic Weiyi Ng.

Weiyi Ng

06 Aug 2026

Why hyper-efficient Singapore is Asia’s most AI-anxious society

A survey across Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan and mainland China found Singapore leads the region in AI adoption, but also records the highest levels of anxiety over job displacement, deepfakes and AI dependence. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Lee Si Min tells us more.

Lee Si Min

04 Aug 2026

Can China’s slowing economy sustain its tech ambitions?

China sees technological self-reliance as the key to future growth. But with a slowing economy, can Beijing sustain the investment needed to achieve its high-tech ambitions over the long term? Economist Min-Hua Chiang examines the issue.

Min-Hua Chiang

31 Jul 2026

Why young Americans are turning against AI

Young people in the US and elsewhere are showing their dislike for and even hostility towards AI. US researcher Benjamin Lira Luttges analyses the factors involved.

Benjamin Lira Luttges

24 Jul 2026

Ex-employee dispute looms over RedNote’s IPO prospects

A former RedNote employee’s dismissal dispute has raised questions about the company’s corporate structure and disclosures. This could lead to greater regulatory scrutiny and complicate any future Hong Kong listing.

Caixin Global

24 Jul 2026

Human stories without humans: Has AI degraded China’s micro-dramas?

As AI slashes the cost and time needed to produce micro-dramas, China’s hottest entertainment trend is raising difficult questions about creativity, labour and who really profits. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Lim Zhan Ting speaks to industry insiders.

Lim Zhan Ting

10 Jul 2026

Million-dollar overseas degrees, entry-level Chinese salaries

For decades, studying abroad was seen as a ticket to opportunity. Now, more Chinese graduates are returning home — only to find that foreign credentials carry less weight than before. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Liu Liu examines the issue.

Liu Liu

08 Jul 2026

China as an absolute advantage economy

Given China’s current industrial and financial stature, Professor Yasheng Huang observes that the puzzle is not why China exports cars, but why it is still exporting t-shirts.

Yasheng Huang

30 Jun 2026

A journalist’s farewell: The people who changed how I see China

As her stint ends, Lianhe Zaobao Shanghai correspondent Li Kang looks past the trade wars and economic data to remember the raw resilience, vulnerability and quiet dignity of the ordinary people she met.

Li Kang

29 Jun 2026

Why more Hong Kong youths are opting out of work

Some young people in Hong Kong are becoming disengaged and content to drift along aimlessly, living with their parents who indulge them amid a more accepting society. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Tai Hing Shing examines the rise of the NEETs (Not in Education, Employment or Training).

Tai Hing Shing

19 Jun 2026

China’s gig economy nears half the workforce but worker protections lag behind

Over 44% of China’s workforce is now engaged in flexible employment. While closing the white-collar income gap, this massive shift exposes major gaps in workers’ rights and social security stability. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Li Kang analyses the data.

Li Kang

12 Jun 2026