6 h. ago Greta Thunberg, once unpopular on Chinese social media, rises in esteem on Gaza

Greta Thunberg, the Swedish environmental activist once widely criticised on Chinese social media, appears to be receiving a rare wave of support in the country, particularly after her bid to call attention to the Israel-Hamas conflict was stopped by Israeli forces who ended her attempt to sail to Gaza. The 22-year-old activist, along with 11 others, set sail this month for Gaza hoping to “break Israel’s siege” of the Palestinian territory in a show of solidarity. The boat, carrying aid, was...

Politics

40 h. ago Chinese EVs: Xiaomi accelerates launch of Tesla Model Y rival YU7

Chinese smartphone and car maker Xiaomi has moved up the launch of its latest electric vehicle (EV) model amid strong consumer interest in the SUV, which is seen as a potential challenger to the dominance of Tesla’s Model Y. Sales of the YU7, the Beijing-based company’s second production model, would start at the end of this month instead of in July as previously planned, founder and CEO Lei Jun said in a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo on Monday. “We are making the preparations, and...

Politics

67 h. ago Hong Kong wants an ecotourism boom, but can its parks handle more visitors?

Amy Zhang is dressed in full sportswear, with sunglasses and a lightweight hiking backpack. She is one of many visiting Hong Kong’s Dragon’s Back following the social media craze in mainland China over “in-depth travels” in the city. “The beautiful merging horizon and skyline make good photos for my friend circle on WeChat and RedNote,” the 30-year-old education worker from Hunan province said, referring to her networks on the Chinese social media platforms. “I only wish for better toilets...

Politics

3 d. ago Why are mainland Chinese tourists posing in front of MTR stations in Hong Kong?

Surrounded by a stream of passengers on an MTR platform in Hong Kong on a regular weekday, a couple paused to pose for photos next to a station sign to mark their journey. “We took photos at most of the metro stations we visited, just to record our metro route,” said Arale, a 36-year-old tourist who was visiting the city with his wife, Qing, 37, for the first time. Recording such a visual diary is part of a popular trend on Chinese social media in which people travel around Hong Kong to take...

Politics

3 d. ago Hong Kong Instagram influencer pleads for release of father arrested in Cambodia

A Hong Kong-based Instagram influencer has written an open letter to Cambodia’s prime minister, calling for the immediate release of her father, who needs urgent medical care. Stephanie Cheng, also known as Laparasian on Instagram, posted a copy of the letter in English, French and Chinese on her social media early Saturday morning. In a separate post the previous day, the influencer said that her father, Cheng Chi-gian, a French citizen, had been “kidnapped in Phnom Penh just before exposing a...

Events

5 d. ago ByteDance helps jewellery firm Lao Feng Xiang push AI glasses to China’s elderly

Social media giant ByteDance is helping the 177-year-old Chinese jewellery company Lao Feng Xiang develop a new generation of smart glasses, powered by artificial intelligence (AI), that feature real-time voice navigation and translation functions. Lao Feng Xiang debuted their initial line of wearable gadgets at Wednesday’s opening of the International Exhibition of Senior Care, Rehabilitation Medicine and Healthcare, the world’s biggest senior care expo, that is being held in the company’s home...

Politics

7 d. ago ‘Chaotic era’: Chinese state media say LA protests are proof of a broken America

Chinese state media have sought to portray the escalating Los Angeles protests against President Donald Trump’s immigration policies as proof of a broken government and the lack of social cohesion in the United States. Such a framing, alongside a mix of gloating and schadenfreude on Chinese social media, comes amid sustained US-China tariff tensions and ongoing high-level trade talks in London. The state-backed Beijing Youth Daily, in a commentary published on its social media page on Tuesday,...

Events

8 d. ago China maths genius opens first social media account, gains 23 million fans in 5 days

Chinese mathematics prodigy Wei Dongyi has recently launched his first social media account, capturing widespread attention due to concerns about his appearance and dental health, while amassing an impressive 23 million followers in just five days. The 33-year-old, originally from Shandong province in eastern China, serves as an assistant professor in the mathematics department at the esteemed Peking University. Despite his remarkable achievements, Wei prefers a life centred on research and...

Economics

1 week ago Social media giant RedNote opens Hong Kong office, its first outside mainland

Chinese social media giant RedNote has opened an office in Hong Kong, its first outside mainland China, a move the city’s finance chief hopes will provide a boost to local businesses and the platform’s international expansion. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said on Saturday that he had personally invited the company, also known as Xiaohongshu, to set up a base in the city. “When I visited Shanghai at the end of last year, I made a special visit to Xiaohongshu’s headquarters,” Chan wrote on...

Politics

2 w. ago Disbelief as China paraglider sucked into freezing, high altitude vortex is punished

Social media in China has reacted with disbelief after a Chinese paraglider who miraculously survived after being sucked into a potentially deadly cloud vortex that carried him 8,598 metres above sea level was punished by local authorities. Peng Yujiang, 55, was sucked into the clouds on May 24 in the Qilian Mountain region across Qinghai and Gansu provinces in northwestern China. He ascended to an altitude almost the height of the world’s tallest mountain, Mount Everest that is 8,849 metres...

Politics

3 w. ago WeChat denounced by North Carolina official for complicity in US fentanyl crisis

North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson has accused the Chinese social media app WeChat of facilitating cross-border money laundering that helps finance the fentanyl abuse crisis in the US. In a video posted online on Tuesday, Jackson alleged that Mexican drug cartels have been using WeChat to coordinate cash pickups in US cities, arrange currency swaps with Chinese brokers and quietly move drug profits across borders. “You are now a core part of the business model that is killing thousands...

Politics

3 w. ago WeChat denounced for complicity in US fentanyl crisis by North Carolina official

North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson has accused the Chinese social media app WeChat of facilitating cross-border money laundering that helps finance the fentanyl abuse crisis in the US. In a video posted online on Tuesday, Jackson alleged that Mexican drug cartels have been using WeChat to coordinate cash pickups in US cities, arrange currency swaps with Chinese brokers and quietly move drug profits across borders. “You are now a core part of the business model that is killing thousands...

Politics