Beijing

People dine near a screen broadcasting obituary of China's former Premier Li Keqiang during the evening news, following his death, at a restaurant in Beijing, China, on 27 October 2023. (Tingshu Wang/Reuters)

China’s reform and opening up in dire straits after passing of Li Keqiang?

Later generations of Chinese may take reform and opening up for granted, but this key national policy and strategy was in fact hard fought by an earlier generation of leaders such as the late former Premier Li Keqiang. With great outpourings of grief seen after Li's demise, are the Chinese people learning something about cherishing something only after it's gone?
China's Premier Li Keqiang waves as he arrives for a news conference after the closing ceremony of China's National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, on 15 March 2017. (Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

Netizens and scholars react to Li Keqiang's sudden death

The sudden death of former Chinese Premier Li Keqiang from a heart attack at the age of 68 has prompted an outpouring of shock, as well as tributes in the form of videos about his life and work, as well as quotes. Lianhe Zaobao journalists Chen Jing and Miao Zong-Han look back on Li's career and give a sense of the reactions to his passing.
Vietnamese women dressed in traditional clothing, 1920s.

[Photo story] Within the walls of Vietnam’s imperial city

Historical photo collector Hsu Chung-mao shows us the scenes of times past of Vietnam’s imperial city of Hue. From the architecture influenced by China, to the struggles within, the four walls of the Citadel are brimming with history.
An office building in the Guomao area in Beijing. (Photo: Meng Dandan)

Vacancy at an all-time high as companies move out of Beijing’s prime office space

Despite the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions, the office vacancy rate in China’s capital Beijing has not recovered, and is set to increase. From considerations such as rental cost and traffic, internet companies are opting to move out of prime central locations. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Meng Dandan tells us more.
A screen broadcasts news footage of an Air Force aircraft taking part in military drills by the Eastern Theatre Command of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) around Taiwan, in a shopping area in Beijing, China, on 19 August 2023. (Tingshu Wang/Reuters)

Three trends in the PLA’s military activities around Taiwan

Japanese academic Sugiura Yasuyuki notes that Beijing has been normalising military activities around Taiwan, and these activities seem to be heading towards actual combat, while being used for propaganda. One clear example is the recent Exercise "Joint Sword" in April 2023. There are increasing concerns that such activities will cause issues between China and the US, or China and Taiwan.
Yao Jianhua, one of the few old Beijingers who is still living in a hutong. (Photo: Li Shanyi)

The last few guardians of Beijing's hutong culture

While hutongs are a unique historical sight in Beijing, they are quickly disappearing as people move out and relocate to government housing with modern amenities. Those who remain are generally the older generation, while the look and function of hutongs is also changing. How much longer will hutongs last?
Former Foreign Minister George Yeo spoke at a forum in Taipei on 13 September 2023. (SPH Media)

George Yeo: Cross-strait relations from a Singaporean’s viewpoint

Singapore's former Foreign Minister George Yeo gave a keynote speech at the Asia-Pacific Forward Forum in Taipei, where he spoke on cross-strait relations, the "one China" policy, and the future of mainland China and Taiwan, as well as his personal experiences interacting with individuals from both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
A rescuer is helping a resident to get on a vehicle in Zhuozhou on 1 August 2023.

How a 140-year flood caught Beijing and nearby cities off guard

After experiencing the hottest June on record for the city, Beijing is now witnessing the most rainfall in the 140 years since records began. How did Typhoon Doksuri bring the prolonged heavy rainfall to northern China thousands of kilometres away from its landing point?
People attend a job fair in a mall in Beijing, China, on 30 June 2023. (Thomas Peter/Reuters)

Stemming population decline in Chinese first-tier cities

​Population figures are going down in China's major cities, not only in Beijing and Shanghai, but also in Shenzhen and Guangzhou. This trend is not only due to higher costs of living, but deeper concerns that prevent economies from finding a certain equilibrium after headwinds. Economist Li Jingkui explains.