China youths

Zaobao associate editor Han Yong Hong notes that while former Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou’s planned visit to several cities in mainland China is deemed an ancestral visit and to lead student exchanges, its political implications cannot be ignored. The trip could be a win for himself and both sides of the Taiwan Strait as the parties involved continue to push for cooperation and peaceful exchanges.

In 2023, a record of 11.58 million students in China are expected to graduate from higher education institutions. But the perennial struggle to find employment after graduation is especially dire this year. How will China's youths cope with the situation, and what measures have the Chinese government put in place to stabilise employment?

"People from northeastern China are like African Americans or Osakans. We have a history of wandering, irrational optimism and a sense of righteous clannishness. In our veins runs comic talent, along with being governed and discriminated against. Under all the snow and ice lie warm poems and folk songs, while the wild fires, steel and concrete encase a helpless rebelliousness. We understand everything, we know everything, but we choose to be kind. We are forced to leave our homes to seek a place that will accept us. We will say nothing. Our leather coats and dark glasses will never come off. We will tell you: 'This is nothing to us.'" - Bai Yi, comic artist

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.

Zaobao journalist Meng Dandan looks into the current shortage of workers in various areas of China, especially in the labour-intensive manufacturing sector. Why is it so difficult to hire and retain workers, and what does this mean for the world’s factory and the global supply chain?

With Valentine’s Day just over, The Economist’s tongue-in-cheek Cost of Loving Index reflects the high cost of living in Chinese cities compared with global cities such as New York and Paris. Zaobao’s associate editor Han Yong Hong looks deeper into the spending habits of the Chinese and what it might mean for economic recovery.

AVIC Fund deputy general manager Deng Haiqing recently drew flak for his view that young people should not complain about their low wages because they lack capabilities. Meanwhile, netizens derided him for being a privileged elite that is far removed from the reality of life in China today. Zaobao’s China Desk explores the topic.

Taiwanese academic Ho Ming-sho asserts that Taiwan’s show of solidarity with protestors in China’s A4 revolution is better understood under the lens of the history of the island’s pursuit of its own identity. He explains why Taiwan’s civil-society actors chose to react to the protests on universal values, rather than national sentiment.

East Asian Institute senior research fellow Lance Gore observes that the recent protests in China have highlighted the deep generational gap between the leaders of the country and the protesters. In tandem with the modernisation of society, there needs to be the modernisation of politics, allowing greater room for political participation and dialogue.