Society

Hua Language Centre director Chew Wee Kai points out that throughout history, people have come up with various terms to refer to “others”. Such forms of discrimination, while not physically harmful, can still be perpetuated and lead to discord and resentment. It is up to present generations to end the cycle.

Academic Zhang Tiankan notes that crowded children’s hospitals in Beijing actually reflect social conditions, such as mindsets towards hospital treatment being the best and also the stressful education system, as children do their homework even while hooked up to IV drips. In many cases, rushing to the hospital as an immediate response could do more harm than good and be a great drain on public resources.

Academic Ying Zhu explains why political and diplomatic tensions aside, the business of motion pictures has its own commercial logic so Hollywood and its Chinese counterpart will continue to be locked in a transactional relationship, though more surreptitiously and in a much more low-key fashion.

Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Yu Zeyuan notes that while the recent live-fire drills by China’s Southern Theater Command at the China-Myanmar border is aimed at testing the PLA’s capabilities, it is evidently a form of warning to all sides involved in the war in northern Myanmar. Some are even supporting the idea of Chinese military deployment across the border to tackle the serious, long-term issues of smuggling, drug trafficking and telecommunications fraud in northern Myanmar.

Nepal’s recent ban on TikTok was a result of both societal and political concerns, says Indian academic Rishi Gupta. In the aftermath, will there be ripple effects on Nepal's relations with China?

Lianhe Zaobao journalist Tai Hing Shing notes that even as evidence shows that the US does not value Hong Kong as much as pro-democracy Hong Kongers think it does, overly idealistic Hong Kongers still buy into the narrative that the US will step in on Hong Kong’s behalf in dealing with Beijing. It is time for this group to wake up.

Given Taiwan’s low birth rate and ageing population, the labour shortage has become a severe issue, especially in the hospitality industry. While the government seems to be keen to open up to migrant workers, this might mean larger issues down the road. So why not open up the opportunities for Taiwan’s middle-aged and elderly? Lianhe Zaobao journalist Chuang Hui Liang speaks with academics and industry insiders to find out more.

Chinese people migrating overseas is a phenomenon that has occurred throughout the ages, but in history these migrants were treated with disdain and even faced execution. US academic Fei-Ling Wang looks at why one decides to leave their native land and even to become a citizen of a foreign country, and how they navigate between their chosen country and that of their ancestors.

Hua Language Centre director Chew Wee Kai notes that names carry everything from culture to history, values and identity — and even the trend of the time. So, what’s in a name? Plenty.