Pets
Society
[Big read] China’s ‘fur kids’ fuel a billion-dollar pet boom
China’s growing love for pets has created a billion-dollar industry, with smart devices, AI services and full life-cycle care. Local governments are also backing the trend to boost domestic consumption. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Zeng Shi speaks to industry players to find out more about the shift in social attitudes and policies that have led to this growth.
Zeng Shi
30 Mar 2026
Society
Hong Kong fire aftermath: Strong community spirit, shared pain
The tragic fire at Wang Fuk Court has highlighted the Hong Kong spirit of community, with touching scenes of animal rescue. However, the disaster has also stirred the deep-seated pain lying beneath Hong Kong’s collective psyche. Lianhe Zaobao associate editor Han Yong Hong shares her reflections.
Han Yong Hong
05 Dec 2025
Society
[Video] Emotional spending and the rise of ‘kidult’ culture in China
As emotional spending rises among China’s youth, items like Jellycat plush toys and Pop Mart’s blind boxes have gained immense popularity. Aligning themselves with the hashtag #reparentyourself, these youths seek experiences and items that bring them happiness, fulfilling their unmet childhood wishes. ThinkChina’s Yi Jina looks into the issue.
Yi Jina
01 Nov 2024
Society
[Video] How are China's youths spending their money?
Amid a challenging economic landscape, China's youths (aged 16-24) are grappling with a 14.9% unemployment rate as of December 2023. Feeling the impact, the younger generation has made saving a top priority and are reevaluating their spending habits. This shift has seen them transition from "wild spending" to "reverse spending", from "impulsive consumption" to "rational spending", and from "revenge spending" to "experiential consumption". Here's a glimpse into how they are navigating this change.
Yi Jina
01 Mar 2024
Society
A Singaporean in China: How Covid brings out the worst in people
A spate of news of pet "cullings" and cruel acts against people amid Covid-19 lockdowns in China have captured widespread public attention. While it may be easy to classify the instigators of such acts as heartless, former journalist Jessie Tan believes that those actions may not be borne out of an individual's ill nature or will, but a reaction to the complex forces amid the Covid-19 lockdown.
Jessie Tan
06 May 2022
Society
Animal protectors and feminists hindering pandemic work in China?
Sadly, a Chinese pet owner in Shangrao, Jiangxi province, had the dubious honour of witnessing via pet monitor the culling of her Welsh corgi, right before her eyes. The perpetrators? Covid-19 community workers who have now given their peers a bad name. This is not just an issue of animal rights, Lorna Wei asserts, but also one of privacy and information disclosure, personal safety, and the abuse of power.
Lorna S. Wei
22 Nov 2021
Society
When a dog of the privileged class in China bites a commoner
In the face of surveillance camera footage showing pet dogs biting an 80-year-old lady, it should have been an open-and-shut case. But one such "dog-bites-man" incident in Anyang dragged on for more than two months. The pet owner was believed to be a person of power, and only increasing attention on the case led to an eventual apology. Why did it take so long for someone to do the right thing?
Yu Zeyuan
22 Nov 2021
Society
China's pet industry booms as the post-90s generation seeks to fill a void
The pet economy is thriving in China, driven mostly by the one-child generation who crave an emotional connection and young job seekers taking up "animal communication" gigs during the pandemic. Analysts are optimistic about this sector, where middle class households are more than willing to spend more on the physical and emotional well-being of their furkids. Zaobao correspondent Wong Siew Fong speaks to pet owners and business owners to uncover more about this emerging industry.
Wong Siew Fong
22 Nov 2021