26 h. ago Caring woman driver with disabled son has China’s ‘messiest but most loving cab’

A young ride-hailing taxi driver in China who takes her disabled seven-year-old son to work with her every day has moved both passengers and people on mainland social media. Zhang Congcong, 27, has been driving a taxi with her son, Momo, as a back seat passenger for four months in central China’s Henan province. Zhang has to take Momo with her because he suffers from a rare form of spinal muscular atrophy, a condition that severely affects his mobility and requires round-the-clock care. Zhang...

Transport

50 h. ago China dad carries disabled son to school for 12 years, vows to do same at university

A father in China who has been carrying his disabled son on his back to school every day for the past 12 years has touched millions of hearts in the country. Chuan Zhuyu, a recent graduate from a secondary school in Tengchong, Yunnan province, southwestern China, scored 624 out of 750 in this year’s university entrance exam, known as “gaokao” in China. The relatively high score came as a relief to his father, who has shown dedicated care for his son, the news outlet The Cover reported. “My...

Culture

1 week ago China woman marries son’s Russian classmate, sparks viral attention, scepticism

A woman from southeastern China has gone viral after marrying her son’s Russian classmate and announcing her pregnancy, sparking controversy and scepticism online. The 50-year-old woman, known online as “Sister Xin”, is an e-commerce entrepreneur based in Guangzhou. Living in a suburban villa complete with a chef and driver, she shares her daily life with her foreign husband to an audience of over 13,000 followers on Douyin. Sister Xin divorced at 30 and raised her son and daughter on her...

Politics

1 week ago China woman in Ukraine cares for US$140,000 Bengal tiger, shares daily life online

A pet influencer from China has gone viral for raising a Bengal tiger worth more than one million yuan (US$140,000) and attracting over 4 million followers on mainland social media. Gong, a young Chinese woman living in Ukraine with her boyfriend. They share a suburban villa with a white tiger, two serval wildcats, a black jaguar and a Bernese Mountain Dog. The couple have a 2,000-square-metre garden and a pool for the animals to enjoy. In her videos, Gong says that because of the value of the...

Politics

1 week ago China dad berated for locking naked son in iron cage, claims pen prevents wandering

A father in China who has been criticised for locking his naked toddler son in an iron cage claims the pen was purely used to prevent the boy from wandering. On June 16, several naked toddlers were spotted on a red tricycle parked by the roadside in Hainan province, southern China, and one of them was inside an iron cage. The person recording the video said: “This poor kid. How could the parents be so cruel? The sun is so strong, he could get sunburned.” Worried about possible abuse or child...

Politics

2 w. ago Jailed China dad who stole to treat son’s cancer is behind bars when boy dies

A father in China who was jailed for stealing to cover the cost of his son’s cancer treatment was still behind bars when the boy died. In place of a normal farewell, to fulfil the boy’s wishes, his ashes were scattered in a lake near the prison where he is being held. Yu Haibo, 29, grew up in a farming family in China’s northeastern Jilin province. After leaving school in his teens, he worked as a chef and welder and married his girlfriend, Zhang Mingyu before turning 20. In 2014, their son...

Events

2 w. ago Old, alone and barely getting by: the plight of Hong Kong’s poorest seniors

Auntie Ha left her village in mainland China and moved to Hong Kong to join her son and his family. But not long after, they emigrated and left her alone in the city. To support herself, she got a job as a cleaner and she rents a subdivided flat in Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong’s poorest neighbourhood. Although in her 70s, Auntie Ha is unable to retire, because Hong Kong’s basic old age allowance and social assistance are not enough for her to live on. Her story is one example of the lack of support...

Politics

2 w. ago China father and son back in news as son honours dad 15 years after viral photo

A manual labourer who touched the hearts of Chinese internet users 15 years ago with the sacrifices he made for his toddler child has received a Father’s Day gift from his now young adult son. “Father, please take care of your health. I hope I can share a bit of your pressure,” said Ran Junchao, 18, who used his pocket money to buy a watch and a coat for Ran Guanghui. The heartfelt gesture has moved online observers, especially when people discovered the way Ran senior supports his family. Ran...

Politics