Language

People exit a metro station in Taipei, Taiwan, 19 August 2023. (Ann Wang/Reuters)

[Big read] Can older workers solve Taiwan's labour shortage problem?

Given Taiwan’s low birth rate and ageing population, the labour shortage has become a severe issue, especially in the hospitality industry. While the government seems to be keen to open up to migrant workers, this might mean larger issues down the road. So why not open up the opportunities for Taiwan’s middle-aged and elderly? Lianhe Zaobao journalist Chuang Hui Liang speaks with academics and industry insiders to find out more.
An AI (artificial intelligence) sign is seen at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, China, on 6 July 2023. (Aly Song/Reuters)

China's ambiguous attitude towards generative AI

China put forth a draft Degree Law recently that includes harsh consequences for degree holders who use artificial intelligence tools to ghostwrite their dissertations. These aggressive measures reflect a conundrum that the country’s academia and wider community finds themselves in: how can China balance between the desire for technological progress and the fear of losing its identity and autonomy?
Artist Soh Suan Cheok carved a cement block for his work, 压死你 (“crushing you to death”).

Carving contemporary expressions: The Chinese art of seal carving

Recent exhibition Carving Possibilities, presented by Siaw Tao Chinese Seal Carving, Calligraphy and Painting Society, showed how artists across generations are reinventing the ancient Chinese art form of seal carving. Former journalist Teo Han Wue shares his observations.
Children playing among two giant panda lanterns at the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall, Singapore, in celebration of the Mid-Autumn Festival, on 28 August 2023. (SPH Media)

Chinese language: The ‘one language, two systems’ road ahead

Given its pluralistic nature, the Chinese language has taken many shapes over the course of history, with its written form and the associated dialects dictated by time and place. Meanwhile, the rise of China and its growing national power have led to the emergence of Chinese as an international language that transcends national borders. Eddie Kuo, Emeritus Professor at NTU, delves into the evolution of the language in the different Chinese-speaking regions.
A woman rides her bicycle past a mural showing electricity poles in Hanoi, 19 June 2023. (Nhac Nguyen/AFP)

[Big read] South Korea looks to Vietnam to reduce reliance on China

As China becomes more self-sufficient in producing its own goods, South Korea — one of China’s major trading partners — has to look to other countries to reduce its reliance on the Chinese market. Given the growing economic and trade relations, as well as the flourishing people-to-people exchanges, Vietnam has become a top choice for South Korea to expand its market.
Baiterek, a monument and observation tower, in Astana, the capital city of Kazakhstan. (Photo provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan)

[Big read] Kazakhstan’s economic emergence amid US-China-Russia power struggle

Kazakhstan’s development since gaining independence in 1991 has led it to become a leader in the Central Asia region. With much potential still waiting to be explored in this resource-rich country, Kazakhstan is walking a tightrope to balance its relations with the US, China and Russia. Lianhe Zaobao associate editor Han Yong Hong shares findings from her visit.
This picture taken on 11 March 2023 shows people riding in a trishaw in George Town, Penang, Malaysia. (Mohd Rasfan/AFP)

From Borneo to Penang: Preserving our culture and language for future generations

If languages and cultural practices are disappearing fast in the indigenous communities of Borneo to the Chinese community in Penang and elsewhere, can digital technology and AI play a bigger role to document pieces of our identity that can be preserved beyond time and space?
Lin Liyun was an interpreter for Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai in the 1970s.

Lin Liyun: The legendary interpreter for Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai [Photo story]

Lin Liyun was born in Taiwan, grew up in Japan, and eventually found herself in the company of none other than Chinese leaders Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai, as she interpreted for them at various events and occasions. Historical photo collector Hsu Chung-mao gathered Lin’s oral history, and now sets out her fascinating story.
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew reacts during a session for him to testify before a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, US, 23 March 2023. (Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)

What Singapore can learn from the Chew Shou Zi phenomenon

Lee Huay Leng, editor-in-chief of SPH Chinese Media Group, observes that the spotlight cast on Singaporean TikTok CEO Chew Shou Zi at a US Congress hearing recently is a good entry point for us to think about the role that Singapore can play in the new world order, besides the larger topics such as TikTok and China-US relations.