Wong Siew Fong

Wong Siew Fong

Correspondent, Lianhe Zaobao

Wong Siew Fong is Lianhe Zaobao’s Beijing correspondent. She has been working at Zaobao for more than five years, previously covering special features and Singapore local news, before moving on to her Beijing posting in May 2021.

The logo of e-commerce app Pinduoduo is displayed next to mobile phones displaying the app, in this illustration picture taken on 25 October 2023. (Florence Lo/Reuters)

Pinduoduo's popularity a sign of Chinese consumption downgrading wave

Popular Chinese online shopping app Pinduoduo has done well in terms of profits, outdoing competitors such as Alibaba and JD.com. While a major factor is due to revenue from Pinduoduo's multinational e-commerce platform Temu, it may also be a sign that consumers in China are changing their spending habits and going for cost-effectiveness and value for money.
US President Joe Biden meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping at Filoli Estate on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, in Woodside, California, US, on 15 November 2023. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)

Xi-Biden meeting ends on positive note: A better tomorrow?

The meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden concluded on an upbeat note, with many issues discussed albeit with no real consensus at the moment. However, this opens the door to future dialogue and communication between both sides.
A woman looks at a new iPhone 15 Pro and a Huawei Mate 60 Pro as Apple's new iPhone 15 officially goes on sale across China, at an Apple store in Shanghai, China, on 22 September 2023. (Aly Song/Reuters)

China-US smartphone tech war: Apple losing the Chinese market?

China’s smartphone giants have made great strides over the past decade or so, catching up with companies such as Apple in terms of sales as well as research and development. However, there is still a long way to go for China’s smartphone ecosystems to crack the global market.
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?
A group of “diving grandpas” from Tianjin recently went viral. (Screenshots from Weibo video)

When Tianjin's diving grandpas stop diving

Tourism in China is still recovering following the pandemic, and some areas see a surge of tourists after going viral on the internet. One such place is Tianjin, whose claim to fame is a group of “diving grandpas” diving off the 6-metre-high Shizilin Bridge, despite signs prohibiting such activities. Sadly, they have declared that they will stop doing so. How long will other such ground-up activities last?
A parent takes a photograph of her child in traditional Tibetan clothing as she poses outside Potala palace in Lhasa, Tibet, on 27 June 2023. (CNS)

Tibet aims to boost tourism but not at the expense of security

Since the relaxation of anti-epidemic measures in China, officials have been ramping up efforts to promote tourism in Tibet. However, the dilemma between cultural preservation and developing the tourism industry, and that between security and economic development, are issues that could curb the autonomous region’s opening up to tourists. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Wong Siew Fong shares findings from her media visit to Lhasa and Shannan.
Li Haoshi, stage name House, got into trouble after a joke about the People's Liberation Army. (Internet)

Can stand-up comedians cross lines and tackle taboos in China?

A Chinese stand-up comedian has landed himself in trouble after cracking a joke seeming to compare the People’s Liberation Army with dogs. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Wong Siew Fong finds out why people are up in arms, and if the authorities’ slew of punishment is justified.
Visitors look at young male panda Yuan Meng standing inside its enclosure at The Beauval Zoo in Saint-Aignan-sur-Cher, central France on 28 April 2023. - Yuan Meng, whose name means "Wish Fulfillment", was the first baby panda born in France on August 4, 2017 and will leave France for China on July 4, 2023 after a month of quarantine. His parents Huan Huan (meaning "happy") and Yuan Zi ("chubby") are the only giant pandas living in France. (Guillaume Souvant/AFP)

Not just cute: How pandas became a politicised symbol around the world

China is known for its “panda diplomacy”, where its giant pandas were first gifted and later leased overseas as a sign of important bilateral relations and goodwill. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Wong Siew Fong looks into how the system has evolved since the 1950s, and whether panda diplomacy still works today.
Shipping containers are seen at a commercial port in Vladivostok, Russia, 15 February 2023. (Tatiana Meel/Reuters)

Russia opening Vladivostok port to China after 163 years

Amid the Russia-Ukraine war, Russia has opened the key port of Vladivostok to China, which will enhance the transportation of domestic goods in China’s northeast region. Many see this as an act of goodwill, while some believe that Russia could be turning into a vassal of China. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Wong Siew Fong takes us through what the port opening means for China.