Urbanisation

How China’s traditional markets are reviving empty malls

Traditional rural-style markets are making a comeback in Chinese cities. Driven by empty commercial space and budget-conscious consumers, these periodic markets are redefining urban retail. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Liu Liu looks into the matter.

Liu Liu

28 Jul 2026

[Video] Rare Hubei tornadoes expose China’s rising weather risk

Three rare tornadoes in Hubei exposed a stark new reality: China must prepare for increasingly complex extreme weather with better forecasting, more resilient cities and stronger disaster response. ThinkChina’s Yi Jina and Lu Lingming find out more.

Yi Jina, Lu Lingming

24 Jul 2026

Can China’s cities keep pace with climate change?

Heatwaves, floods and typhoons are becoming more frequent and severe across China. The pressing question is whether its cities can upgrade infrastructure and build resilience quickly enough to keep pace. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Liu Liu looks into the matter.

Liu Liu

23 Jul 2026

China has too many incinerators. Southeast Asia has the trash

China built a vast waste-to-energy industry — then ran short of trash. As incinerators sit idle at home, Chinese firms are heading to Southeast Asia, pitching modern plants as a fix for looming landfill crises. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Lim Zhan Ting reports.

Lim Zhan Ting

15 Jan 2026

Chengdu, where the everyday becomes art [Eye on Sichuan series]

Chengdu is a metropolis interwoven with tradition and modernity, embodying the paradoxical yet balanced relationship between “nature” and “construction”. Sichuan academic Zhang Jinyao takes us on a walk along the picturesque ancient alleys and streets of Chengdu, exploring how the everyday has shaped the city’s life, art and architecture.

Zhang Jinyao

29 May 2025

Chinese economics professor: My two hometowns and their people [Eye on JiangZheHu series]

Within a country, people from different regions often have their own characteristics and quirks, and China is no exception. Economics professor Li Jingkui shares some observations about the defining traits of people in Zhejiang, a province he now calls home, versus that of his old friends in his hometown of Henan.

Li Jingkui

13 Jan 2025

[Video] Taiwanese nature writer Liu Ka-shiang: Singapore, an unexpected birdwatching haven

Lianhe Zaobao journalist Kenny Chan takes a walk with renowned Taiwanese nature writer Liu Ka-shiang, traversing from Singapore’s busy concrete jungle through lush green nature and finally to the heart of the city’s street culture. What does Liu think about Singapore’s efforts at wildlife and nature conservation?

Kenny Chan

08 Nov 2024

Geese in Chinese ‘Silicon Valley’: Could China offer modernisation tips to Russia and the US?

Russian academic Artyom Lukin shares his thoughts on the Chinese and Russian paths to modernisation, following a recent trip to Changchun in Jilin province, China. As both Russia and China are late-modernisation countries, China may be able to provide some advice on how to get rid of archaic and outdated traditions while preserving the core of the national culture.

Artyom Lukin

05 Nov 2024

[Big read] Shanghai’s Lin-gang struggles to become the ‘new Pudong’

Lin-gang, located 75 kilometres from central Shanghai, is a new city with ample amenities but few residents. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Chen Jing finds out more.

Chen Jing

08 Jul 2024

[Video] The last few guardians of Beijing's hutong culture

While hutongs are a unique historical sight in Beijing, they are quickly disappearing as people move out and relocate to government housing with modern amenities. Those who remain are generally the older generation, while the look and function of hutongs is also changing. How much longer will hutongs last?

Wong Siew Fong

18 Sep 2023

Time is running out for China to take care of its ageing migrant workers

China's first-generation of migrant workers who joined the labour force in the 1980s and 1990s will reach their sixties over the next decade. Despite the number of working years under their belt, they could be left financially worse for wear once they reach retirement. How should the officials ensure this generation of workers have enough to support themselves when the time comes? Lianhe Zaobao's China Desk tells us more.

China Desk, Lianhe Zaobao

28 Jul 2023

China's housing downturn: Household registration reform needed

In China, policy easing in real estate continues even as calls for greater stimulus packages get louder. But to address the nub of the property downturn, says PIIE researcher Tianlei Huang, long-term challenges such as supply-demand imbalances and the discriminatory household registration system should be addressed.

Tianlei Huang

19 Jul 2023