Society

From meme to a PR crisis: How footballer Mbappé crossed China’s red line

A misjudged joke which ended up linking footballer Kylian Mbappé to Mao Zedong triggered a public relations crisis. Lianhe Zaobao associate China news editor Sim Tze Wei explains how this episode sends a stark signal about the boundaries of political satire and Chinese market power.

Sim Tze Wei

29 Oct 2026

[Big read] Independent publishing in China waits for a breath of fresh air

With limited International Standard Book Number (ISBN) availability and dwindling sales channels, independent publishing in China has weathered years of crackdowns. Lianhe Zaobao associate China News editor Chen Jing tells us more about the zine makers, publishers and booksellers keeping indie publishing alive in China and elsewhere.

Chen Jing

27 Oct 2026

[Video] Noodle-making over postgrad studies: How China’s graduates are hedging career risks

Facing degree inflation and job insecurity, young Chinese graduates are swapping lecture halls for commercial kitchens. Lianhe Zaobao China Desk correspondent Liu Liu looks at why learning how to hand-pull Lanzhou noodles may offer better employment prospects than a master’s degree.

Liu Liu

26 Oct 2026

From food to official scandals: Chinese we-media expose what state media doesn’t

Independent online investigators in China increasingly expose official misconduct and food safety scandals, areas where mainstream media falls short. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Zhang Guanghui explores their rising influence, risks and motives.

Zhang Guanghui

26 Oct 2026

China got richer. Why did its older people get lonelier?

China’s economic miracle has brought prosperity and mobility to millions — but also left many older people lonely. As families shrink, children migrate and communities change, loneliness reveals the hidden social costs of a transformation built on success. Academic Keming Yang explains.

Keming Yang

23 Oct 2026

The Long March: Can China’s history of struggle still inspire its youth?

Ninety years after the Red Army’s Long March, China brings its revolutionary legacy to young people. But can a generation grappling with modern competition and pressures find meaning in past struggles? Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Liu Liu examines the issue.

Liu Liu

22 Oct 2026

[Big read] From stem cells to immersive dining: Singapore firms tap into China’s innovative sectors

Singapore companies are tapping into China’s emerging sectors, such as stem cell therapies, leveraging the country’s vast market, advanced supply chains and evolving consumer preferences to drive growth. Lianhe Zaobao business journalist Siow Zhi Hui finds out more.

Siow Zhi Hui

21 Oct 2026

Taiwan’s local elections: Can DPP disrupt KMT’s Taipei stronghold?

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)’s Taipei mayoral candidate Puma Shen’s grassroots surge is shaking up Taiwan’s local elections. Lianhe Zaobao’s Taipei correspondent Lai Oi Lai looks at whether the DPP can translate this momentum into actual gains at the ballot box.

Lai Oi Lai

19 Oct 2026

The Chinese internet’s morbid fixation with Li Ka-shing’s death rumours

Rumours of 98-year-old Li Ka-shing’s death this week prompted an official rebuke from CK Asset. From high-profile virtual calls to new medical initiatives, Lianhe Zaobao’s China Desk finds out what Asia’s iconic tycoon has been up to.

China Desk, Lianhe Zaobao

16 Oct 2026

Chinese youths trade ambition for simple pleasures

From catching caterpillars to riding slow trains, Chinese youths are pursuing joy from the little things in life. Lianhe Zaobao’s China Desk looks at the rise of youths shunning ambition and excess spending, and “just getting on with life”.

China Desk, Lianhe Zaobao

16 Oct 2026

[Big read] Hong Kong wants more babies, but couples need more than cash grants

Standalone cash grants are failing to revive Hong Kong’s birth rate. As officials look to Singapore for inspiration, young couples say deeper structural relief is needed. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Tai Hing Shing looks at why the city’s birth rate is so hard to lift.

Tai Hing Shing

15 Oct 2026

Huawei’s ‘brake-gate’: Is patriotism drowning out rational debate in China?

When Huawei’s luxury EV failed a third-party safety test, a technical flaw spiralled into nationalistic fervor. Can Chinese public discourse mature to separate corporate accountability from patriotic sentiment? Lianhe Zaobao China news editor Yang Danxu gives her take on the issue.

Yang Danxu

14 Oct 2026