2 h. ago How Chinese ritual uses unboiled egg balancing on mirror or knife to detect spirit possession

Traditional Chinese folk superstition sees some families seek help from “egg-standing exorcists” who try to balance raw eggs on mirrors or kitchen knives to detect spirit possession. If the egg manages to stand upright, legend has it that a wandering spirit has taken over the person’s body. Traditionally, a superstition known as Cai Zhuang Ke, which is often referred to as “spirit possession”, is used to determine whether a sudden illness or extreme lethargy is caused by a wandering spirit or...

Politics

3 h. ago Impulse control: Malaysia’s social media ban targets teen minds

Eric Wong is only 20, but his life online is so consuming that he struggles to draw a line between his digital presence and the physical world. A member of Malaysia’s Gen Z – those aged 13 to 29 this year – Wong belongs to the first generation of true digital natives, raised on a steady stream of social media, online gaming and endless internet connectivity. “If there’s time in between classes, me and my friends will gather in the cafeteria or the nearby mamak (food stall) to play PUBG or Mobile...

Events

4 h. ago Global Times Meeting: Bridging the Global South and Gauging China’s Mideast Views

Global Times Meeting: Bridging the Global South and Gauging China’s Mideast Views  Modern Diplomacy

Politics

11 h. ago How concept of building community with shared future for humanity brings Chinese solutions to global governance

How concept of building community with shared future for humanity brings Chinese solutions to global governance  news.cgtn.com

Politics

12 h. ago 2 Hong Kong pupils take top prizes in first global youth storytelling competition

Two Hong Kong students secured championship titles on Saturday in the first storytelling competition for global youth, delivering impassioned speeches on education and AI before an audience of about 100 people. Vanessa Jane Wong, a Form Four pupil from the Independent Schools Foundation Academy, won the top award in the senior category, while Wan Ruixi, a Form Two student from Hong Kong University Graduate Association College, took the junior prize. Organised by the South China Morning Post and...

Politics

13 h. ago How US actions in Venezuela and beyond could spell opportunity for China

America’s military action in Venezuela and President Donald Trump’s talk of owning Greenland are stoking concerns that the United States is dismantling the rules-based global order. But this could also be a diplomatic opening for China as it tries to portray itself, in contrast, as a more responsible and stabilising power. Analysts said while this aligned with Beijing’s push to strengthen ties with its neighbours – a strategic move as its rivalry with Washington has intensified – concrete...

Politics

14 h. ago Chinese, Japanese groups issue joint call for Japan to return Tang dynasty stele

Chinese researchers and Japanese activists have renewed calls for Japan to return a Tang dynasty relic looted over 120 years ago. The effort to recover the Tang Honglu Well Stele comes amid rising regional tensions and Beijing’s ongoing national campaign to reclaim cultural heritage. Shanghai University’s Research Centre for Chinese Relics Overseas and Japanese cultural groups issued a joint declaration on Friday urging Tokyo to “correct historical errors” and return the stone monument, Chinese...

Politics

15 h. ago Taiwan faces possible Beijing squeeze after US quits WHO and other agencies

The United States’ decision to withdraw from dozens of UN and other international organisations may have dealt another blow to Taiwan’s efforts to raise its global profile amid mounting pressure from Beijing. While Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te’s government has sought to play down the impact, observers have warned that Washington’s retreat could further squeeze the island’s already narrow international space. US President Donald Trump on January 7 ordered the US to exit 66 international...

Politics

17 h. ago Chinese man earns US$39,000 in 2 years teaching adults to ride bicycles amid surging demand

A master’s degree student in China, who has taught hundreds of adults and children to ride bicycles over the past two years and earned 270,000 yuan (US$39,000) from it, recently went viral on social media. The man, whose surname is Li, is a third-year master’s degree candidate at Shanghai University of Sport (SUP) majoring in sports education, as reported by the news outlet The Cover. Li shared that years ago, he and a friend recognised the demand for bike-riding instruction and decided to...

Politics

17 h. ago Trump’s ‘Donroe Doctrine’ Targets China, U.S. Oil Firms Could Pay the Price: Bousso

Trump’s ‘Donroe Doctrine’ Targets China, U.S. Oil Firms Could Pay the Price: Bousso  The China-Global South Project

Economics

18 h. ago China’s AI ambitions meet the politics of global supply chains

China’s AI ambitions meet the politics of global supply chains  Modern Diplomacy

Politics

19 h. ago China woman, 47, shares civil servant life in Iceland, appreciates culture that respects choices

A 47-year-old Chinese woman shares her idyllic life as a civil servant in a remote town in Iceland, igniting interest and spirited discussions on social media in mainland China. The woman, known as Megan, hails from Beijing. In 2020, at the age of 42, she decided to pursue a second master’s degree in Iceland, a few years after her divorce. She earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting and her first master’s in business computing in the UK before transferring to a new energy major at a...

Politics

19 h. ago China woman shares civil service life in Iceland, admires culture that respects choices

China woman shares civil service life in Iceland, admires culture that respects choices  South China Morning Post

Politics

19 h. ago DiDi Global: China Mobility Remains Strong, But We See A Valuation Disconnect (DIDIY)

DiDi Global: China Mobility Remains Strong, But We See A Valuation Disconnect (DIDIY)  Seeking Alpha

Politics

21 h. ago Chinese woman seeks online help to slaughter pigs, attracting over 1,000 volunteers to her farm

A woman in southern China who did not know how to slaughter a pig turned to the internet for help, unexpectedly sparking a heartwarming viral reaction that attracted over 1,000 enthusiastic volunteers and transformed the event into a festive gathering. The story began on January 9, when a woman nicknamed Daidai from Hechuan, Chongqing, posted a short video on social media inviting netizens to assist in holding down two pigs for slaughter, while also extending an invitation to enjoy a traditional...

Politics

21 h. ago From open source to global solutions: China's expanding AI footprint

From open source to global solutions: China's expanding AI footprint  People's Daily Online

Politics

23 h. ago Joyful ice skating at the Summer Palace as Beijing welcomes first snowfall of 2026

Joyful ice skating at the Summer Palace as Beijing welcomes first snowfall of 2026  Global Times

Politics

23 h. ago ‘Will for Peace’ drills: Brics tests the waters of military cooperation

A week-long naval exercise off the South African coast involving the navies of China, Russia and the UAE has stirred debate over whether the primary purpose of Brics is evolving in the emerging post-Western global order. The exercise, held from January 9 to 16 under the banner “Will for Peace 2026”, was described by host nation South Africa as a routine maritime safety and interoperability operation. Officials said the drills aimed to improve coordination in protecting shipping routes and...

Events

26 h. ago Unaware of owner’s death, loyal China dog waits daily in corridor for his return, moving many

A pet dog in China has been waiting outside his owner’s home for weeks, unaware of his passing. Refusing to eat or drink, the loyal canine has captured the hearts of countless social media users. This touching story, centred around the dog nicknamed Ah Wang, has drawn comparisons to the 2009 film Hachi: A Dog’s Tale, inspired by a true story from Japan in the 1920s. In the film, the dog Hachi waits every day for its owner at a railway station for 10 years following his death, until the day it...

Events

29 h. ago Counting China’s wins and losses among ‘swing nations’ in new era of power rivalry

It took the United States less than three hours to stun the world with its abduction of the sitting leader of a sovereign state, but the strategic ramifications of that dramatic operation are likely to reverberate for decades. In laying bare the limits of China’s economic-centric diplomacy towards third countries in its competition with the US, the Venezuela crisis has delivered a stark reminder that spheres of influence continue to shape global politics in this new era of great power...

Politics