Guangzhou

Building for family glory: Guangdong’s architecture of success

The Chen Academy in Guangzhou and Ruishi Lou in Kaiping county were built with sophisticated techniques from wealth earned or migrant funds sent home. Architecture professor Ho Puay Peng takes us on a tour of these fine examples of Lingnan architecture in ThinkChina’s Eye on Guangdong series.

Ho Puay Peng

31 Aug 2026

Truffles and gold leaf can’t save dim sum: What the masters know

However much dim sum — bite-sized morsels originating in Guangdong province — is reinvented, the patience and fortitude that goes into the craft and the sincerity of the hands that make it remain paramount, observes writer Tan Pin Yen in ThinkChina’s Eye on Guangdong series.

Tan Pin Yen

28 Aug 2026

How Guangzhou and Shenzhen weathered Trump’s tariff storm

Guangzhou and Shenzhen, manufacturing and technology engines of Guangdong province, were hard-hit by Trump 2.0 tariffs, but they managed to bounce back or even hold steady with resilience under pressure. Economics professor Jiang Kun gives her analysis in ThinkChina’s Eye on Guangdong series.

Jiang Kun

26 Aug 2026

How did Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou become the world’s number one tech hub?

The Global Innovation Index published by the World Intellectual Property Office puts the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou innovation cluster in first place. The tech hub’s unique combination of strengths has allowed it to surpass the usual suspects in Silicon Valley, observes academic Erik Baark in ThinkChina’s Eye on Guangdong series.

Erik Baark

25 Aug 2026

[Big read] Benjamin Fok: I was just an assistant to my father, Henry Fok

Benjamin Fok, son of Hong Kong legendary tycoon Henry Fok, was never one filled with business ambitions. In an interview by Lianhe Zaobao journalist Li Yaning, Benjamin speaks about his start in the family business, the advent of artificial intelligence, his hopes for his sons and his passion for skiing.

Li Yaning

27 Jan 2026

As APEC 2026 lands in Shenzhen, Hong Kong fights for relevance

Hong Kong hopes to capitalise on Shenzhen’s APEC 2026 spotlight, but rising rivals in the Greater Bay Area threaten its standing. Can the city avoid being eclipsed? Lianhe Zaobao’s Tai Hing Shing explores the stakes.

Tai Hing Shing

24 Nov 2025

[Big read] Tiny steps, big change: How everyday efforts are building an inclusive Guangzhou

Every week, volunteers like Feifei travel across Guangzhou to teach skills to visually impaired residents. These small acts — training, apps, accessible facilities — are just the beginning of building a truly inclusive society, with much more still to be done. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Zeng Shi reports.

Zeng Shi

18 Nov 2025

[Big read] With real estate’s heyday over, China hunts for its next growth engine

From a plot of land to a new home, it does not just involve China’s real estate sector alone, but an entire system. If a critical link in the system goes wrong, related parties would come under pressure. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Liu Sha takes a look at how the upstream and downstream real estate industrial chain has been affected by the sector’s slump.

Liu Sha

20 Aug 2025

[Big read] From manufacturing giant to AI leader: Can Guangzhou make the leap?

Guangzhou is setting its sights on becoming China’s next hub for applied AI innovation, says Lianhe Zaobao journalist Zeng Shi. However, competition is stiff, and some experts say that Guangzhou still has a long way to go before it can overtake cities like Shenzhen.

Zeng Shi

26 Jun 2025

[Big read] From factories to AI: Can Guangdong catch up? 

Guangdong’s traditional industries face challenges, prompting a focus on high-quality development through technology. While lagging in basic research compared to regions like Hangzhou, Guangdong possesses strengths and the potential for catching up in the crucial AI race. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Daryl Lim speaks to industry practitioners and academics to find out more.

Daryl Lim

26 Mar 2025

How consumption is rebounding in China’s second- and third-tier cities

Lianhe Zaobao journalist Li Kang notes that there is an increase in spending in non-first-tier cities in China, in contrast to people tightening their belts in first-tier cities such as Shanghai. How long will this last, and can the domestic market prop up China’s economy?

Li Kang

09 Sep 2024

[Big read] Cash-strapped Chinese metros turn to personal ads: A win-win? 

Lianhe Zaobao journalist Zeng Shi observes that China’s metros are opening up their advertisement spaces to the public. Even as it gives people a novel way of putting up resumes or marriage proposals, it helps China’s metros generate a new income stream.

Zeng Shi

16 Aug 2024