Government intervention

The Invictus International School campus at Nanshan, Shenzhen announced its shuttering in July. (Photo: Daryl Lim)

Closure of international schools in China due to economic downturn

The current wave of closures among international schools in China can be attributed to factors such as high tuition fees, options in other countries, and falling birth rate. But the biggest factor is undoubtedly financial tightening by parents, in turn due to China’s economic situation. Zaobao journalist Daryl Lim finds out more.
A security personnel in a protective suit keeps watch as medical workers attend to patients at the fever department of Tongji Hospital, a major facility for Covid patients, in Wuhan, Hubei province, China, on 1 January 2023. (Staff/Reuters)

Chinese doctor: Why non-compliant practices are rampant in China's hospitals

Medical researcher and doctor Hayson Wang assesses that Chinese public hospitals being run like businesses is a key reason for the widespread occurrence of corruption in the medical sector. Unless hospitals are well-funded and supported, they will continue to find it difficult to provide good public welfare and stay away from corruption.
People ride a small train for children on a street in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, China on 16 September 2023. (Hector Retamal/AFP)

Why China’s population policies always veer towards the extreme

China’s population policies have had a tendency to veer towards the extreme since the era of Mao, says commentator Yu Shiyu. A delayed response to adjusting the one-child policy, which has resulted in a declining population and is expected to have an adverse economic impact, demonstrates the inefficiency of an authoritarian system in self-correcting. Its decision making could also swing between extremes as it is based on subjective top-level thinking.
People at a shopping mall in Beijing's central business district, China, on 7 September 2023. (Tingshu Wang/Reuters)

Is China’s development losing steam?

The world is concerned that the Chinese people are beginning to lose confidence in China’s future, dampening the prospects for sustainable development. Researcher Wei Da believes that there is little connection between this crisis of confidence and the cyclical boom and bust of the economy, but China’s severe economic problems are ultimately political problems.
Containers at the Nanshagang area in Guangzhou port, 18 September 2023. (CNS)

Will the BRI's future be impacted by the slowing Chinese economy?

Japanese academic Toshiya Tsugami notes that while China's economy is likely to fall into medium- to long-term stagnation, its outward investments and financing through the Belt and Road Initiative may not be immediately affected. However, other factors may have a ripple effect on China's ability to maintain the momentum of the BRI.
People ride on a scooter past residential buildings under construction in Beijing, China, on 6 September 2023. (Tingshu Wang/Reuters)

China’s trillion-dollar local government ‘hidden debt’ dilemma

As China’s financial system remains plagued by trillions of dollars in local governments’ hidden debt, policy makers may need to take drastic measures to solve the problem.
An advertisement for the Huawei Technologies Co. Mate 60 series smartphone in Shanghai, China, on 17 September 2023. (Qilai Shen/Bloomberg)

Big Read: What is the US’s next move as China breaks through the chip blockade?

China’s Huawei suddenly launched a new smartphone, equipped with a 7 nm chip said to be made in China and with network speeds reaching 5G levels, shocking the US political circles. What far-reaching impacts will China's breakthrough in chip technology have? How will Washington respond? Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Edwin Ong takes us through the recent developments and what it means for the US’s strategy against China’s tech advancements.
A couple prepare to pose for photos near the Forbidden City in Beijing, China, on 24 June 2023. (Greg Baker/AFP)

Regular phone calls and cash incentives: China goes the extra mile to encourage childbirth

Local governments in Chinese cities are taking extra measures to encourage couples to marry early and have children. However, given the youth’s shifting values and society’s tolerance for singlehood, these measures are falling short. Meanwhile, netizens are lamenting that government policies should not be coercive or objectify women.
A group of “diving grandpas” from Tianjin recently went viral. (Screenshots from Weibo video)

When Tianjin's diving grandpas stop diving

Tourism in China is still recovering following the pandemic, and some areas see a surge of tourists after going viral on the internet. One such place is Tianjin, whose claim to fame is a group of “diving grandpas” diving off the 6-metre-high Shizilin Bridge, despite signs prohibiting such activities. Sadly, they have declared that they will stop doing so. How long will other such ground-up activities last?