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.

A screen shows Chinese President Xi Jinping attending a virtual meeting with US President Joe Biden via video link, at a restaurant in Beijing, China, 16 November 2021. (Tingshu Wang/Reuters)

Xi-Biden virtual summit: Only a 'more polite' meeting

Zaobao correspondent Wong Siew Fong notes that the virtual meeting between US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping was cordial, with Xi describing both countries as “two giant ships” and Biden calling US and China “major world leaders”. However, academics say that given previous tensions and current tussling, perhaps it is too soon to say for sure that relations will improve from now on.
People walk along a street in Beijing, China, on 12 October 2021. (Noel Celis/AFP)

Prelude to CPC’s 20th Party Congress in 2022: Seven new provincial party secretaries appointed

A year ahead of the Communist Party of China’s 20th Party Congress in autumn 2022, a round of promotions and game of musical chairs is at play again among provincial party secretaries. Which are the stars to look out for?
Internet celebrities flocked to Wuzhong Market over the Golden Week holiday to pose for pictures with vegetables wrapped in Prada packaging. (Xiaohongshu/@超赞小姐姐 (left); Xiaohongshu/@周小晨Kiki)

Chic and trendy wet markets are the in-thing in China

Below-the-line marketing tactics of high-end brand Prada sees a wet market in Shanghai wrapping its walls, stalls and vegetables — yes, even the edibles — in Prada packaging. Lucky shoppers also get to receive limited edition Prada paper bags. And it's not just in Shanghai; trendy markets that have cafes, reading areas, exhibition spaces and bars are popping up in first-tier cities all around China.
Chinese President Xi Jinping attends a welcoming ceremony for Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos outside the Great Hall of the People, in Beijing, China, 14 May 2019. (Jason Lee/Reuters)

Chinese youth will be imbued with tenets of Xi Jinping Thought through school curriculum

The Chinese Ministry of Education has announced that Xi Jinping Thought will be integrated into the school curriculum from primary to university level. What does this mean for students, and what is the aim of the authorities? Zaobao correspondent Wong Siew Fong takes a closer look.
A screenshot of a vlog featuring single living. (Bilibili)

Rejecting their parents' lifestyles, more single Chinese youths are sharing their everyday lives through vlogs

As young Chinese leave their hometowns to work and live in big cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, single living vlogs are gaining popularity. Whether they are toughing it out or living it up, the Chinese youths of today seem to be rejecting their parents' lifestyles and yearning to chart a life of their own. Zaobao correspondent Wong Siew Fong speaks to some Chinese youths about the rise of single living vlogs.
Paramilitary police officers evacuate residents stranded by floodwaters with a boat following heavy rainfall in Hedian town of Suizhou, Hubei province, China, 12 August 2021. (cnsphoto via Reuters)

Extreme weather could become the norm, but Chinese cities are not ready for it

With the recent severe rainfall and flooding in Zhengzhou, Zaobao correspondent Wong Siew Fong speaks to academics, who warn that China’s water infrastructure and weather drainage systems may not be suitable for the advent of extreme weather, and the authorities need to act quickly to bridge the gap.
A giant Chinese national flag comprised of light bulbs is seen during a celebration event on New Year's Day, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, at a park in Wuhan, Hubei province, China, 1 January 2021. (Tingshu Wang/REUTERS)

Chinese state media poll: 70% of Chinese approve of wolf warrior diplomacy

A poll by the Global Times shows that 70% of respondents think that the Chinese government is doing the right thing with wolf warrior diplomacy. But is this reflective of the general population? Zaobao correspondent Wong Siew Fong speaks to academics for their take.