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China’s e-commerce industry is grappling with the devastating impact of involution. Illustration: Brian Wang

From gold rush to fading dreams: the rise and fall of China’s e-commerce hub

As China’s economy struggles, a rat race in the e-commerce sector has taken a toll on merchants and manufacturers.

As China’s economy struggles, a rat race in the e-commerce sector has taken a toll on merchants and manufacturers

Are China’s lauded anti-poverty triumphs at risk of vanishing?

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Why have juvenile sex crimes surged and how can Hong Kong fix the problem?

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How China’s ‘little emperors’ went from monarchs to overwhelmed caregivers

China’s one-child policy has created a zero-sibling generation – and caring for parents and children in a tough economy is taking its toll.

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

China’s first industrial leases are expiring. Will their holders renew?

As China’s initial group of industrial leases lapses, questions abound over the ease of renewal and whether foreign investors will recommit.

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China’s military in ‘competition for partnerships’ with US in Southeast Asia

Beijing hopes to compel neighbours to consider its interests in the South China Sea and Taiwan, defence analyst says.

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Hong Kong’s depressed commercial property market burns tycoons, investors

Hong Kong’s commercial property market has buckled under the crushing weight of China’s economic malaise, an exodus of global firms, a supply glut and high interest rates.

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Illustration by Henry Wong

Why China’s belt and road push could give it an edge in Southeast Asia

Infrastructure projects such as high-speed rail could help Beijing keep US from coaxing region into its orbit, analysts say.

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How rising China-US rivalry is making ‘divergence’ within Asean more pronounced

The 10-member regional bloc’s ‘passive neutrality’ stance could fracture if member countries are forced to choose sides, analysts say.

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How China is using diplomatic clout over Southeast Asia to ‘isolate Philippines’

As China doubles down on its tactics against the Philippines, it is trying to pull other Southeast Asian nations away from Manila.

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

Exclusive | With major waterway plans in the pipeline, is China in its ‘grand canal era’?

Local governments seeking economy-boosting infrastructure projects are pitching costly waterways, ushering in a ‘grand canal era’ and raising eyebrows.

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Illustration: Brian Wang

For China, a Cambodian canal project shows how belt and road can go only so far

With the power to reshape trade routes and affect geopolitical ties, the first-of-its-kind Funan Techo canal has become a litmus test for China’s project partnerships overseas.

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The state of the art: China’s graduates out of work despite culture craze

Though China’s interest in the arts is at an all-time high, a glut of graduates remains unsure of the field’s career prospects.

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These wealthy Hongkongers want cash and need to sell their properties in a flash

All across Hong Kong – from The Peak to South Island and elsewhere – high-net-worth individuals have found themselves caught in a tight spot between their ritzy, overleveraged properties and a quickly draining pool of liquidity.

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Credit: Henry Wong

Is China looking at Mao-era plan to boost economic self-reliance?

The original plan moved industries west to counter the threat of invasion, but now the prime motivation appears to be supply chains.

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Illustration: Henry Wong

Some Hong Kong SMEs are not rolling over and playing dead. Can they win in the end?

A restaurant chain opens more outlets, a hi-tech farm finds clients abroad – it’s not all bad news for SMEs.

What does the rise of ‘experiential stores’ in Hong Kong mean for retail scene?

The new lipstick effect? ‘Experiential stores’ are taking over as traditional shops shut in Hong Kong as people spend less amid struggling economy.

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Many Hong Kong small businesses are on the brink of collapse. Can they be saved?

SMEs are struggling with cash flow, loss of business and an exodus of investors.

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

Open questions | Economist Jin Keyu on why the trade war is still a ‘gift for China’

Jin Keyu of the London School of Economics shares why she thinks the concepts of the ‘middle-income trap’ and ‘overcapacity’ are overblown

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Chinese students join military as stepping stone to university degree

Enlisting lets recruits skip qualifying exams and switch to popular majors, but they sometimes struggle to adjust to studies after service.

Hong Kong’s independent directors face a crossroads: stay or go?

Independent non-executive directors are in focus after the stock market operator proposed a limit on the number of seats they can hold.

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Illustration: Brian Wang

China’s university students in fierce battle for majors with best job prospects

Many are relying on outdated advice from parents who found it easier to transfer to their preferred disciplines after enrolment.

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Illustration: Henry Wong

How ‘times have changed’ at Sino-foreign joint universities in China

Students and faculty at the institutions, once known for liberal campus culture, report clampdown on clubs, curriculum and classroom speech.

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In China, university students face internship paradox in bid for job prospects

Young Chinese hoping for a top job after graduation meet increasing competition and pitfalls on the way to building an eye-catching resume.

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Scared by China’s P2P scandal, new young investors less willing to risk it all

Scandal-hit peer-to-peer (P2P) lending industry in China has virtually disappeared, but its effect is still being felt by investors

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Illustration: Henry Wong

Open questions | China needs results and not just talk in stand-off with US, Shi Yinhong says

Taiwan is actually the most stable issue between Beijing and Washington, as long as the one-China policy exists, distinguished expert says.

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

Can China-Japan youth exchanges and goodwill overcome the deep political chill?

Beijing and Tokyo hope to build bonds with young people, but strained regional ties and sinking public opinion are blocking the welcome mats.

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China’s grid storage ‘mismatch’: too much gear, too little benefit

Massive spending leads to new equipment sitting underused – or idle – even as the grid sorely needs it to make the best use of clean energy.

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last updated:
9 September, 2024
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