Identity
Society
Are Singaporeans disappearing? The identity challenge behind the baby crisis
To confront a historically low total fertility rate, Singapore is re-engineering social frameworks for parenthood. As the nation turns to global immigrants, it needs to ensure that new arrivals successfully forge a rooted national identity. Han Yong May, deputy editor-in-chief of SPH’s Chinese Media Group, considers the issues at stake.
Han Yong May
08 Sep 2026
Culture
Rojak roots: What it means to be Singaporean
Cantonese and Hokkien, Malay and English; kampung food, Hong Kong television, Manchester United and the Catholic faith. Tracing the people, languages and cultures that shaped her, ThinkChina’s Candice Chan reflects on a thoroughly mixed — and thoroughly Singaporean — inheritance in ThinkChina’s Eye on Guangdong series.
Candice Chan
31 Aug 2026
Culture
[Video] Was Cantonese really the language of Tang poets?
With copious research into the vivid histories of Hong Kong and Guangzhou, academic Lian-Hee Wee and researcher Winnie HY Cheung trace a quirky timeline of the evolution of the Cantonese language in ThinkChina’s Eye on Guangdong series.
Lian-Hee Wee, Winnie HY Cheung
28 Aug 2026
Technology
Chatting alone? What AI companions reveal about human relationships
How do you manage a relationship with a machine that is not as emotionally invested as you and may learn to read you over time as a friend would? Navigating the AI companions landscape depends not just on regulation but on how these products are designed to handle emotional responsibility, says US researcher Hong Shen.
Hong Shen
21 Aug 2026
Technology
China bans AI lovers, but loneliness remains
When man bonds with a machine, depends on it and feels affirmed by it, is a void filled? But what if the mirage disappears or the relationship is taken to extremes? Researcher Renwen Zhang contemplates the psyche behind the rise of AI companions.
Renwen Zhang
14 Aug 2026
Society
Dear You: A Chinese film revives Japan’s diasporic memory
The Chinese hit movie Dear You has struck a chord with overseas Chinese in Japan, whose own efforts to preserve their language and culture echo the film’s portrayal of diaspora life in Nanyang. Writer Foo Choo Wei finds out more.
Foo Choo Wei
28 Jul 2026
Society
[Big read] Too ‘cool’ to resist: China’s soft power captivates Taiwan’s youth
From TikTok trends to Chinese apps and pop culture, Beijing’s soft power is gaining traction among young Taiwanese, raising fresh questions over identity, influence and cross-strait competition. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Lai Oi Lai and journalist Zhang Guanghui find out more.
Lai Oi Lai, Zhang Guanghui
01 Jul 2026
Culture
Dear You: China’s Nanyang dream and Singapore’s lived reality
Chinese film Dear You about Nanyang migrants moves audiences in China, but for Jean Lee, a second-generation Nanyang migrant, the romanticised onscreen nostalgia clashes deeply with the gritty reality of her family’s history.
Jean Lee
26 Jun 2026
Society
[Video] Dear You: How grassroots authenticity wins over Chinese filmgoers
A small Chaoshan dialect film, made on a tight budget with no celebrities and minimal marketing, went on to gross over 1.6 billion RMB at the box office, outperforming a wave of expensive, star-studded blockbusters. Chinese audiences shared positive word-of-mouth on social media, describing it as a “slow-cooked” film that offers a sincere and understated portrayal of ordinary lives. ThinkChina’s Yi Jina explores the factors behind Dear You’s strong resonance with viewers.
Yi Jina
17 Jun 2026