Central vs local government

People walk past shops in a hutong alley in Beijing, China, 31 December 2022. (Florence Lo/Reuters)

What has changed in Beijing post-pandemic?

Zaobao associate editor Han Yong Hong shares her observations of a post-pandemic Beijing, noting the subtle differences in consumer habits and the people’s reluctance to talk about politics. How will China continue to change on its path of 'China-style modernisation'?
People ride bicycles on a street in Beijing, China, on 9 February 2023. (Jade Gao/AFP)

China local governments’ fiscal stress may roll over to 2023, think tank warns

Data from the Chinese Ministry of Finance shows that revenue in the local general public budget dropped 2.1% to 10.9 trillion RMB in 2022. As massive tax relief, “zero-Covid” outlays, and a property market meltdown drained their coffers, China’s local governments struggled to balance revenue and spending last year. One state-backed think tank warns that the fiscal strain could continue to plague localities in 2023.
This picture shows police in front of the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on 6 December 2022. (Noel Celis/AFP)

China’s corruption crackdown targets officials even after they step down

China’s anti-corruption agency announced on 5 February that three CCP cadres were under investigation for disciplinary issues — specifically, corruption. While the CCP’s anti-corruption efforts have apparently shown results, those under investigation usually come under scrutiny after they leave their posts. Zaobao correspondent Yu Zeyuan looks at how effective such crackdowns are.
People at the market in Zhangjiajie, 8 January 2023.

How a rural village of elderly residents is coping with Covid-19 during CNY

With Chinese New Year around the corner, the wave of human movement during the period could trigger a fresh wave of Covid-19 in China, not least in the rural areas with its villages and less than readily available healthcare. Zaobao correspondent Wong Siew Fong recounts her visit to a rural area in Zhangjiajie to find out if the rural villages are prepared to handle a surge in Covid-19 cases.
Letin founder Li Guoxin recently lambasted Changle county party secretary Wang Xiao online. (Weibo/雷丁电动汽车官方微博)

Why Chinese car maker Letin blew the whistle on the local government

Zaobao correspondent Yu Zeyuan explains the delicate relationship between private enterprises and local governments, in which both depend on each other for mutual benefit. But once the tenuous relationship runs awry, there is little recourse to right the situation.
People walk through a shopping district in Hong Kong on 22 December 2022. (Isaac Lawrence/AFP)

Is Hong Kong still a shopping paradise for mainland Chinese shoppers after the pandemic?

Lianhe Zaobao journalist Tai Hing Shing examines the reasons for the seeming initial lack of enthusiasm in travelling from mainland China to Hong Kong, including slow visa processing and changing consumer habits. Will traveller numbers pick up over the next few weeks or months?
A passenger wearing protective gear is seen at a train station in Beijing, China, on 28 December 2022. (Noel Celis/AFP)

Three years of Covid-19 exposes chronic political and social problems in China

China’s sudden opening up has taken many by surprise, and it seems that it was not just the people who were unprepared — the government itself appeared not to have planned for the aftermath of lifting all measures, leading to a shortage of medicine and vaccines, and a squeeze on healthcare resources. If anything, the three years of Covid-19 have highlighted the shortcomings of China’s political system. Chinese college student Anthony Shen shares his thoughts.
A winter swimming enthusiast holds a Chinese national flag as he dives into a pool cut in the frozen riverbank to celebrate the new year in Shenyang, Liaoning province, China, on 1 January 2023. (AFP)

China's big hurdles returning to the forefront of civilisation

China is reopening after three years of it zero-Covid policy, but the ongoing development raises fundamental questions about the “great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation”, says East Asian Institute senior research fellow Lance Gore. The project needs to be grander, if it is to provide some universal significance for the Third Axial Age. Among other things, it might be worthwhile for China to pay attention to developing the personal and social levels of the nation, and to sow the seeds of building a healthy, mature society.
People release balloons as they gather to celebrate New Year's Eve, amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak, in Wuhan, Hubei province, China, 1 January 2023. (Tingshu Wang/Reuters)

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.