Wuhan

Unease amid celebration: New year, old Covid worries in China

With the easing of Covid measures in China, many cities saw the return of New Year countdown celebrations, with major crowds congregating in droves. While the mood is upbeat, worries remain. Lianhe Zaobao's China Desk looks at the people's hopes for 2023.

China Desk, Lianhe Zaobao

06 Jan 2023

A Chinese virologist's changing fortunes for speaking up against zero-Covid

China's renowned virologist Guan Yi has reappeared in public as the newly appointed chief of the Shanghai Virus Research Institute, after being denounced for his alarmist views of the pandemic at the start of its outbreak and speaking against the zero-Covid measures. But now, will his return mark an end to the harsh restrictions that have left the Chinese economy in a dire state?

China Desk, Lianhe Zaobao

03 Oct 2022

Can Xi Jinping ride the tiger year with success?

A Chinese idiom says: If you ride a tiger, it's hard to get off! Since being handed the reins by the Communist Party of China a decade ago, Xi Jinping hasn't experienced "the year of the tiger" according to the Chinese zodiac. He will be riding into the tiger year this crucial year of 2022. Speculations are running high in China as everyone is asking: does Xi know how to get off a tiger?

Hemant Adlakha

20 Jan 2022

Chaos in Xi'an: From zero-Covid to 'zero cases in communities'

In the face of greater challenges in containing Covid-19, China seems to have tweaked its zero-Covid strategy in Xi'an to that of "zero cases in communities". Even so, the situation since a lockdown started on 23 December 2021 seems chaotic. What else needs to change as authorities tailor their approach to different cities and situations? Zaobao correspondent Yang Danxu examines the issue.

Yang Danxu

05 Jan 2022

Indian researcher on the pandemic: It's a tragedy but India will continue to do its part

Amrita Jash considers the impact of a devastating second wave of Covid-19 on India's foreign policy and its relationships with the region and the world. She observes that India will continue to take a collective approach to fighting the pandemic as it guards its flanks vis-à-vis China and Pakistan and builds closer ties with the US and fellow members of the Quad.

Amrita Jash

11 Jun 2021

The world may never know the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic

A Joint WHO-China Study Team report has said that it is "extremely unlikely" that a Wuhan laboratory leak was the origin of the Covid-19 pandemic. Yet the US and other countries have cast doubts on the report, citing delay and access issues. China hit back, labelling this as another smear campaign. With each side singing their own tune, are the report results of any consequence?

Edwin Ong

01 Apr 2021

Chinese academic: Why China's 'harsh' counter-pandemic measures are valid

Putting ideology and biases aside, there was no unlawful coercion in China's Covid-19 measures and no ethical redlines were breached, says Deng Xize. Based on contract theory, people give up some of their rights in exchange for benefits. It is thus expected that people would accept strict measures under the threat of the pandemic. In fact, most of the Chinese population adhered to the measures, with some going overboard in certain cases.

Deng Xize

15 Feb 2021

Chinese local governments are declaring a 'state of war' to fight the pandemic. Is this necessary?

Yu Zeyuan observes that local governments in China are racing to implement ever-tighter coronavirus measures in the face of an uptick in cases recently. Is this an overreaction and all too much of a show to demonstrate responsibility and preparedness at the citizens' expense?

Yu Zeyuan

18 Jan 2021

China set to overtake US economy sooner than expected, but it is worried

China has received favourable assessments from several quarters recently, from its handling of the pandemic to the way its economy is set to surpass the US's earlier than planned. However, instead of revelling in such praise, China is keeping a relatively low profile. Zaobao correspondent Yang Danxu looks at why China is playing it cautious.

Yang Danxu

30 Dec 2020

The great reshuffle: How China is changing up its provincial leaders ahead of the 20th Party Congress in 2022

Even though the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China will only be held in 2022, already there have been changes made this year to the top leaders of several provinces in China. More are expected in the coming months, with hot seats in Jiangsu, Shandong, and Henan - the three major provinces with larger economies and population size - closely watched. Zaobao correspondent Yang Danxu looks at the implications of this exercise in bringing in new blood.

Yang Danxu

23 Dec 2020

I found no trace of the pandemic in Wuhan, but is that how the China story should be told?

On an organised visit to Wuhan with other journalists and business representatives, Lianhe Zaobao's Shanghai correspondent Chen Jing sees a city that appears to be humming away as if the Covid-19 disaster was nothing but a bad dream. Nevertheless, she gets an inkling that many stories of the pandemic are still waiting to be told. She resolves to tell them, all in good time.

Chen Jing

11 Sep 2020

Giant Buddha and sponge cities: Combating floods where three rivers meet

The recent floods in Sichuan were serious enough to wet the feet of the Leshan Giant Buddha, which sits on a platform at 362 metres above sea level at the confluence of the Dadu, Qingyi, and Min rivers. Academic Zhang Tiankan explains that while the Giant Buddha represents the ancient Chinese's wisdom in combating floods, modern-day Chinese will need to step up the building of "sponge cities" to prevent floods.

Zhang Tiankan

11 Sep 2020