Social Fragmentation
Politics
From founding order to utopian drift: How America lost its centre
Tracing the US’s shift from its founding constitutional order to a period of ideological experimentation and internal fragmentation, Chinese commentator Jun Ma examines how competing visions of society have reshaped its political centre.
Jun Ma
Politics
The politics of mainland spouses in Taiwan
China-born politician Li Chen-hsiu was recently expelled from Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan and the Taiwan People’s Party, highlighting the plight of mainland spouses in Taiwan. The existing legal framework provides ambiguity and thus some flexibility, but the status quo is changing under a government that increasingly defines Taiwan in opposition to China. Malaysian academic Ngeow Chow Bing explores the implications of this development.
Ngeow Chow Bing
Society
[Big read] Xiang Biao: The life we miss while chasing the future
Amid the onslaught of AI, how do we preserve our humanity? Anthropologist Xiang Biao speaks with Lianhe Zaobao associate editor and Fukan editor Woo Mun Ngan as part of Lianhe Zaobao’s Future 365 interview series, saying the best way to stay human is to focus on the present and appreciate what surrounds us.
Woo Mun Ngan
Society
Censored but unstoppable: How male desire and grievances go viral in China
Chinese authorities have set out another campaign to stamp out online negativity, now with the men from the lower rungs of society its target. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Zhang Guanghui takes a look at why talk of “Android”, “Apple”, “sexual repression” and “ligong (力工) show hand” has come under the authorities’ cross hairs.
Zhang Guanghui
Society
[Big read] Prayers and packed bags: How China’s youth are navigating a jobless future
China’s young graduates, adrift in a tough job market, are seeking solace in youth hostels and spiritual practices like tarot and astrology. As employment pressures mount, can new social structures offer them purpose and belonging in an uncertain future? Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Li Kang speaks to these hostel dwellers and academics to find out more about how young people are coping in a difficult environment.
Li Kang
Cartoon
[Comic] The rock that remains
This is real life — suspended between East and West, between home and foreign land, between language and voicelessness. It is not a simple crossing of borders, but a constant being — summoned and repelled by structural boundaries. In the West, labelled “Asian”; in Asia, marked as a “returned foreigner”. This dual gaze fractures identity, raising the question: in the ongoing process of being named, framed, and defined — what truly endures? Rather than seeking assimilation or longing for a singular “true belonging”, this is a turn towards creating a new heterotopia — a space outside dominant narratives, shaped by marginalised voices and specific identities. To stay is not to be static, but to be fully present — a form of resistance within a global context that often erases history. It is a deliberate act: to inscribe suppressed experiences into material, image and language, and to give new meaning to the seemingly inert concrete (béton brut) where the rock rests.
Bai Yi
Society
From Beijing to Shanghai: How China’s invisible migrants claim space through sports
The decision to support a football or basketball team might seem like a trivial matter, but master’s candidate Wang Yuchen says that it reveals deeper issues of urban identity and social integration in China. He explains how internal migrants in cities like Beijing and Shanghai express dissatisfaction and negotiate their identity through their support for hometown teams.
Wang Yuchen
Society
No rest yet: Why the six-day workweek persists in China
Despite government attempts to encourage two-day weekends, one-day weekends remain the norm at many workplaces and schools in China. Lianhe Zaobao Shanghai correspondent Li Kang discusses the prevalence of overtime culture and involution in China and its impact on workers and students.
Li Kang
Politics
The US’s conservative turn: What it means for the world
The American political landscape has changed drastically over the past few years as conservative, right-wing ideologies gain momentum across the country. But what is driving this shift in sentiment? Commentator Tan Wan Cheng tells us more.
Tan Wan Cheng
Society
[Big read] A ‘cyst’ in society: The mental health crisis behind random attacks in China
The recent rash of random attacks in China has prompted increased attention on mental health. What are the factors hindering people from getting the help they need, and what are some of the underlying issues that may manifest themselves in violent behaviour? Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Daryl Lim finds out more.
Daryl Lim
Economy
Chinese property market: Second wind or brief respite?
Over the last two years, the Chinese property market suffered a downturn and this has had a knock-on effect on the country's economy. In recent weeks, the government has loosened restrictions and rolled out policies to make it easier for the public to buy houses and to boost property sales. Is this a turning point for the Chinese property market? Will the government's mantra that "houses are for living in, not speculation" take a back seat henceforth? Zaobao correspondent Yu Zeyuan reports.
Yu Zeyuan