Society

When politics divides, can content creators bring China and Japan together?

Chinese and Japanese content creators are crossing the political divide one video at a time — challenging stereotypes and keeping the people of both sides connected, even as their influence can only go so far. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Lee Chan Hui tells us more.

Lee Chan Hui

16 Sep 2026

Who was the most consequential emperor in Chinese history?

Hint: it is someone you have probably never heard of, who might have played a role in China’s AI takeoff, says Professor Yasheng Huang.

Yasheng Huang

15 Sep 2026

Powerless in the classroom: Why Taiwanese teachers are quitting

Schools are struggling to fill vacancies even as tens of thousands of qualified teachers remain outside the profession. Competition from the technology sector, mounting workplace pressures and fears of parental complaints are making teaching an increasingly difficult career to sell, notes Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Lai Oi Lai.

Lai Oi Lai

14 Sep 2026

[Big read] How Singapore’s boba milk-tea generation is rediscovering traditional tea

A new generation of teahouses is putting a contemporary spin on traditional tea culture, from Teochew gongfu tea and Chinese ceramics to herbal milk teas, giving young Singaporeans new ways to slow down, connect and rediscover age-old traditions. Lianhe Zaobao senior Fukan correspondent Ng Yimin finds out more.

Ng Yimin

11 Sep 2026

The quiet rise of China’s soft power among Vietnam’s youth

Young Vietnamese are increasingly drawn to Chinese culture and opportunity, even as long-standing sensitivities endure, note ISEAS academics Hoang Thi Ha and Pham Thi Phuong Thao.

Hoang Thi Ha, Pham Thi Phuong Thao

11 Sep 2026

[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

Tung Chee-hwa: Misunderstood visionary or failed leader?

Hong Kong’s first chief executive endured the Asian financial crisis, SARS and mass protests before stepping down amid deep public discontent. Two decades on, some of the reforms and economic strategies he championed are being viewed in a different light, says Lianhe Zaobao journalist Tai Hing Shing.

Tai Hing Shing

10 Sep 2026

Why some in China want English out of the classroom

A social media influencer’s call to strip English of its core-subject status in China’s national exams has highlighted a growing tension between nationalistic rhetoric, real-world pragmatism and the need for structural educational reform. Lianhe Zaobao’s China news correspondent Lim Zhan Ting finds out more.

Lim Zhan Ting

08 Sep 2026

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

[Big read] Taiwan is running out of babies — and obstetricians

Taiwan’s fertility rate has fallen to the world’s lowest, as young people delay marriage and parenthood amid soaring costs and uncertainty. Now, a shrinking pool of births is also threatening the country’s healthcare system and its next generation of doctors. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Chuang Hui Liang finds out more.

Chuang Hui Liang

08 Sep 2026

I went to Nanning to find the pyramid schemes that lured Singaporeans

After 52 Singaporeans were arrested in Guangxi, Lianhe Zaobao associate China news editor Sim Tze Wei travelled to Nanning to trace the pyramid schemes said to have lured them in — and found a city where real policies and projects can be repackaged as fake investment opportunities.

Sim Tze Wei

07 Sep 2026

Warm tea and brainwashing: Why Singaporeans fall for China’s 1040 scam

Despite years of police crackdowns, the “1040 Sunshine Project” continues to thrive in new and increasingly covert forms, luring victims with promises of enormous returns and claims of secret state backing. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Zhang Guanghui dives into the issue.

Zhang Guanghui

07 Sep 2026