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Tourism heads in China have been dressing up to attract tourists to their regions. (SPH Media)

China's local officials doing cosplay to jumpstart tourism

China’s local tourism chiefs have been dressing up in elaborate costumes and starring in high-quality promotional videos to find online fame to drive tourism in their respective regions. However, netizens observe that not all of them are doing it right, or for the right reasons, and the state media has also spoken against the trend.
A crowd of people eating Zibo barbecue. (Internet)

Chinese are flocking to this Shandong city for barbecues, but it's not all rosy

Zibo, a third-tier former industrial city in Shandong, has been revitalised by a somewhat unlikely source: the humble barbecue skewer. Starting with university students back in March, there has been an influx of visitors hankering for a taste of Zibo barbecue. What is behind this sudden trend?
Young people sleeping at Hai Di Lao to save money on accommodation. (Internet)

Why China’s young travellers are sleeping at Hai Di Lao

Chinese youths are jumping on the trend of “special forces” travel, spending as little as possible to cover as many locations in as short a time as possible, and spending nights in restaurants and trains instead of hotels and travel accommodations. But given the general lack of in-depth experiences and the negative effects of such superficial tourism, is it worth the effort? Or are young Chinese looking for an outlet for their pent-up energy and emotions?
Children playground miniatures are seen in front of displayed TikTok logo in this illustration taken 4 April 2023. (Dado Ruvic/Reuters)

US digital regulation dilemma: How to censor in a free society?

After TikTok’s recent high-profile congressional hearing, the question on everyone’s lips is what happens next — is a total ban likely? But the larger issue, says academic Sarah Kreps, is whether the US risks winning the battle of ideas and ideals but losing the war.
A man stands near a sign of ByteDance app Douyin during China Fashion Week, in Beijing, China, 31 March 2021. (Tingshu Wang/Reuters)

China's crackdown on fake and staged short videos

With the deluge of short-form videos on various apps and platforms, the line between fact and fiction can be blurred, with some content creators staging videos just to get views and stir up emotions. To combat this, Douyin has come up with a new rule that creators have to label staged videos as such. How effective will this be in preventing creators from going overboard in generating views?
A screen grab from a Weibo video showing Chu Yin's remark about being a "good-for-nothing" when one reaches middle age. (Weibo)

China's middle-aged debating their right to be a ‘good-for-nothing’

Chinese youths are “lying flat” to protest against the high-pressure life of involution (meaningless intense competition), and now academic Chu Yin has told the middle-aged group that it's alright to be a “good-for-nothing”. While Chu’s comments have drawn public criticism, the truth remains that much of China’s society are fed up with the stress and competition they face, and yearn to have a simple and peaceful life. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Yang Danxu tells us more.
Signage at the Alibaba office in Beijing, China, on 17 January 2023. (Bloomberg)

Will Beijing truly 'reconcile' with Chinese private enterprises in 2023?

Verbal sparring by Chinese internet opinion makers seem to suggest that the winds are blowing in favour of private firms at the moment. But will officials be able to walk the talk in their quest to use the private sector to drive China’s economic growth?
A woman reads Lianhe Zaobao at a bus interchange in Singapore. (SPH Media)

Navigating China-US competition: A Singapore Chinese-language paper's experience

Former Zaobao editor Lim Jim Koon observes that zaobao.com was recently lumped in with “local media” of China in one of the Japanese media reports. Intentionally or not, this is one of the ways that Singapore’s leading Chinese-language newspaper has sometimes been cast as pro-China or anti-China to suit the narratives of others. As China-US tensions intensify in the new Year of the Rabbit, the paper, and perhaps Singapore too, must brace itself for labels being cast on it, and keep vigilant in staying the course and guarding its own interests.
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.