Beijing

Former journalist Jessie Tan shares her observations as a mother in China as she looks at the outdoor spaces where Chinese children can play, learn and grow. While the options are plenty, the costs to entertain children cannot be avoided, posing a challenge to lower-income families.

PCR testing has become the norm in China and is now a burgeoning industry. However, despite the clear benefits of effective pandemic control, authorities must consider the cost implications before large-scale normalised testing can be implemented across the country. Zaobao correspondent Yang Danxu looks into the matter.

Even as the Chinese authorities continue to battle the spread of Covid-19, one thing is bugging people: why does it seem like nobody cares about the economy? China’s latest economic figures do not look good, and the protracted lockdown in Shanghai and semi-lockdowns in Beijing are not helping people’s livelihoods. Zaobao correspondent Yu Zeyuan examines the cost of zero-Covid.

The swift way that districts and communities were shut down in Shanghai and Beijing is a reminder that the authorities will not hesitate to take drastic steps to stamp out Covid-19, whatever the human cost. Not only that, the end may not be in sight even by the summer of next year.

China’s dynamic zero-Covid policy has come at a heavy toll on the economy and people’s livelihoods. However, the Chinese authorities believe that economic growth is still possible amid the strict anti-epidemic measures. Zaobao correspondent Yu Zeyuan looks into the Chinese government’s strategy to have the best of both worlds.

China’s use of the health code for pandemic control has illustrated the potential of digital technologies in the 21st century. However, there are concerns about the blurring of the lines between digital surveillance and public service provision, and fears that tech giants and local governments will take advantage of the greater access to personal data they have been given.

Fears and anxiety from Shanghai’s dire Covid-19 situation is spreading to other cities. In particular, Beijing is now seeing panic buying and residents preparing for the worst. People are getting ready for a lockdown that may not even happen, but given their ordeal in the early outbreak of the pandemic in 2020, their fears are not unfounded. Zaobao's Beijing correspondent Yang Danxu reveals the situation on the ground.

Former police officer John Lee has stepped down as chief secretary for administration to run for Hong Kong chief executive after Carrie Lam announced that she will not be running for a second term. As the only candidate approved by Beijing, can Lee live up to the central government's expectations, as well as those of the Hong Kong people? Commentator Chip Tsao ponders Hong Kong's future.

China's central government has repeatedly come to the aid of Hong Kong, saving the latter from financial and resources crises. It has also lent its hand to Hong Kong in the current anti-epidemic fight. However, "trust" may be missing in the trilateral relationships between Beijing, Hong Kong and the Hong Kong people, leading to problems with communication and long-term planning. Editor-in-chief of Chinese Media Group Lee Huay Leng examines the issues and discusses whether Hong Kong has what it takes to weather the pandemic on its own.