Soft Power

[Big read] Why Malaysian youths are choosing mainland China over Taiwan for degrees

For generations, a Taiwan degree meant upward mobility for Malaysian Chinese. Today, a rising China and evolving local options are changing where students choose to carve out their futures. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Tan Jet Min reports.

Tan Jet Min

03 Jun 2026

China’s bid for a slice of the medical tourism market

Driven by vast surgical experience and lower costs, China’s medical tourism sector is expanding. However, Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Yush Chau finds out that building an international reputation and managing domestic resources remain key challenges.

Yush Chau

02 Jun 2026

Trump in Beijing: Why even limited success is remarkable

Pomp and pageantry aside, the US-China summit focused on business and trade deliverables, with upbeat atmospherics masking deeper tensions. US academic Zhiqun Zhu explains why even limited progress is notable in a relationship defined by rivalry, mistrust and deep structural tensions.

Zhiqun Zhu

15 May 2026

America is running out of China experts

A retiring generation of leading sinologists and declining student interest in China studies are creating a widening expertise gap in the US, prompting warnings of an academic generational rupture, says US academic Wu Guo.

Wu Guo

15 May 2026

[Big read] From river mahjong to viral food: How influencers put Chongqing on the map

Chongqing has gained a reputation for being a city of layers — in every sense — just waiting to be discovered and savoured. In this era of social media, many influencers have played a part in boosting Chongqing’s popularity. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Liu Liu explores the charm of the city.

Liu Liu

19 Mar 2026

[Big read] From Egypt to Russia: Chinese men looking overseas for love

Facing steep bride prices and mounting pressures at home, some Chinese men are finding wives abroad. Three men share how marriages with women from Egypt, Indonesia and Russia reshaped their lives. Lianhe Zaobao associate China news editor Sim Tze Wei speaks to the couples about their journeys.

Sim Tze Wei

12 Mar 2026

[Video] Sad horse, wild horse: China’s viral zodiac stars of 2026

As the Year of the Horse approaches, two horse-themed toys, one born of a factory error and the other inspired by museum art, have become unlikely favourites ahead of the Chinese New Year.

Lu Lingming

11 Feb 2026

Web novels, web dramas and video games: China’s holy trinity of cultural exports reaches Singapore

Once confined to niche online platforms, China’s web novels, web dramas and video games are now taking the world by storm. In Singapore, local youths are embracing these cultural exports, which are rekindling an interest in Chinese culture. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Zhu Yuxuan explores their appeal to Singaporean audiences.

Zhu Yuxuan

30 Dec 2025

[Video] Boys’ Love in China: From fan fiction to cultural soft power

Once a niche subculture, China’s danmei (耽美), or Boys’ Love fiction, has grown into a global phenomenon adored by millions of young women. But after a wave of crackdowns and tighter online controls, questions are rising over danmei’s future, both within China and as a vehicle of global soft power.

Yi Jina

14 Nov 2025

From screen to sand: Why Chinese tourists are flocking to the Middle East

Once an exotic and faraway destination for Chinese travellers, the Middle East has become China’s new travel fascination. Driven by the combination of popular reality shows and formal tourism expos, curiosity turns into connectivity, pointing to a new phase of China-Middle East engagement, notes Middle East Institute-NUS research fellow Jing Lin.

Jing Lin

03 Nov 2025

‘Brainless’ but satisfying: How Chinese micro-dramas are taking over our screens

The ubiquity of mobile phones has driven the rapid growth of Chinese micro-dramas, with a diverse audience that spans even to the US. Chinese academic Tang Yonghua takes a look at why people are paying for cheesy plots and dated values in these “brainless” yet satisfying escapes from reality.

Tang Yonghua

19 Sep 2025

[Photos] Turning pages with Moon Jae-in: A Taiwanese publisher’s unexpected encounter

The launch of a Taiwan-produced photo book themed around Korea in Seoul drew much local media attention and even caught the eye of former South Korean President Moon Jae-in. Historical photo collector Hsu Chung-mao shares the story behind publishing this World War II-era Korean photo collection, and how it sparked a memorable encounter.

Hsu Chung-mao

08 Aug 2025