Healthcare
Society
[Big read] From singing bowls to forest therapy: China’s 10-trillion-RMB healing economy
China’s healing economy is booming as consumers spend on emotional wellbeing, from singing bowls and forest therapy to trendy toys. But as healing becomes big business, concerns over commercialisation and misleading claims are growing. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Zeng Shi finds out.
Zeng Shi
10 Sep 2026
Economy
[Big read] Is Singapore the ultimate ‘China+1’ biopharma hub?
China’s biotech industry is becoming a formidable force in drug R&D and manufacturing. For Singapore, its rise brings new competition — but also an opportunity to strengthen its role as a trusted China+1 hub for global pharma. Lianhe Zaobao senior business correspondent Lewis Ong Yong Huat speaks with industry players and government officials to find out more.
Lewis Ong Yong Huat
09 Sep 2026
Economy
Why China’s biotech rise is harder to contain than AI
China is emerging as a biotech powerhouse, but its rise is entwined with US drugmakers through research, licensing and supply chains, making decoupling far more difficult than in AI. Academic Chen Xiangming and biopharma industry practitioner Leon Tang analyse the situation.
Chen Xiangming, Leon Tang
05 Aug 2026
Society
[Video] Effortlessly beautiful: China’s new obsession with ‘invisible’ cosmetic procedures
Why are millions of Chinese paying for cosmetic procedures that nobody is supposed to notice? The pursuit of “natural beauty” is reshaping the country’s booming medical aesthetics industry. ThinkChina’s Yi Jina finds out more.
Yi Jina
31 Jul 2026
Technology
How China’s changing the brain-computer interface race
By taking a semi-invasive approach to developing brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) — systems that link brain signals to computers — China is moving ahead of the US in commercialising BCI applications. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Liu Sha examines this development.
Liu Sha
20 Jul 2026
Technology
US’s biotech scrutiny tests China’s drugmakers abroad
A proposed US bill to tighten scrutiny of biotech investment in China is casting a shadow over cross-border drug licensing, threatening a fast-growing partnership model that has fuelled innovation and global drug development.
Caixin Global
10 Jul 2026
Technology
Cheap, fast and everywhere: Why China leads AI adoption
The tech race is not just about building the smartest AI — it is about who uses it first. China’s mature ecosystems and practical demands are driving hyper-rapid adoption, beating the US and other markets, says academic Huijuan Peng.
Huijuan Peng
09 Jul 2026
Economy
China’s bid for a slice of the medical tourism market
Driven by vast surgical experience and lower costs, China’s medical tourism sector is expanding. However, Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Yush Chau finds out that building an international reputation and managing domestic resources remain key challenges.
Yush Chau
02 Jun 2026
Economy
Hooked on tobacco: Why China can’t quit despite decades of control
As public fights over smoking ignite fierce debate, China faces a deep structural dilemma: protecting public health without stubbing out a lucrative fiscal pillar. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Liu Liu finds out what keeps China hooked on smoking.
Liu Liu
25 May 2026
Technology
ByteDance’s billion-RMB bet on China’s first AI-native hospital
Backed by the deep pockets of ByteDance, a private hospital in Beijing is attempting an ambitious architectural experiment: building a medical centre where AI is not just an assistant, but the “native” brain of the entire institution — though the path from “digital employee” to medical reality faces steep technical and financial hurdles.
Caixin Global
20 Apr 2026