4 h. ago How China is stepping up Africa charm offensive to boost cultural ties, deepen influence

China is rolling out hundreds of activities across Africa, including study trips and AI competitions, as part of what experts have described as a “soft power” charm offensive designed to deepen its influence across the continent. In moving beyond its traditional focus on infrastructure and high-level finance, Beijing is expanding its engagement through the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges – an initiative dedicated to cultural and social diplomacy. Announced by Chinese Foreign...

Politics

4 h. ago How China is ramping up Africa charm offensive to boost cultural ties, influence

How China is ramping up Africa charm offensive to boost cultural ties, influence  South China Morning Post

Politics

6 h. ago China Manchu ethnic group childbirth tradition hangs bow and arrow for boys, red strip for girls

China’s Manchu people have quirky child-rearing traditions known as Luocao and Caisheng which include hanging a wooden bow outside the front door when a boy is born, or a red cloth strip for a girl. The Manchu ethnic group, historically known for founding the Qing dynasty (1644–1912), now lives across various regions of China. According to the China Statistical Yearbook 2021, their population exceeds 10 million. In Manchu tradition, the birth of a baby is referred to as luocao, which literally...

Politics

8 h. ago China office workers run to bond with peers, clients, pressured to meet speed expectations

Chinese office workers are literally switching to working on the run as the building of bonds with customers and colleagues becomes increasingly trendy. On mainland social media, increasing numbers of people say running has become their company’s work culture or helped them bond with clients. A woman based in Beijing said she first learned about the concept of “business running” two years ago when her client invited her on a 7am run. The woman, surnamed Peng, said the client was difficult, but...

Events

9 h. ago Singapore’s Leader of the Opposition debate draws comparisons with Westminster system

A peculiar gridlock has settled on Singapore’s political scene with the position of Leader of the Opposition (LO) vacant after Pritam Singh was removed from the post by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, with public discourse now centred on the constitutional basis, or lack thereof, for the role. Created in 2020 by then prime minister Lee Hsien Loong after Singh’s party won a record 10 seats in parliament, the non-statutory position contrasts sharply with its counterpart in Westminster systems, where...

Politics

9 h. ago Exhibition on Hong Kong crime films at old Yau Ma Tei police station remains hot ticket

An exhibition on classic Hong Kong crime films at the former Yau Ma Tei police station has attracted higher-than-expected demand, with the show’s project supervisor saying she hopes visitors will go beyond taking selfies to learn more about the local movie industry. Commissioner for Cultural and Creative Industries Drew Lai Sai-ming said the exhibition had sold more than 80 per cent of tickets in the first month since its debut on January 2, adding that the new tourist attraction’s popularity...

Events

10 h. ago China actress loses brand partners for saying ‘hundreds of thousands’ a month is not enough

A Chinese actress has apologised for making comments in which she flaunted her wealth, sparking a public backlash. Yan Xuejing made the controversial comments during a live-streaming session at the end of December when she said a couple should earn at least 800,000 yuan (US$115,000) a year to “maintain a family’s operation”, China Newsweek reported. Yan, 53, complained to her audience that her son earns little. “He is 32 years old. He and his wife both have a very low income,” said Yan. She...

Politics

12 h. ago Hong Kong steps up bid to become global gold trading hub with Shanghai agreement

Hong Kong will sign an accord with Shanghai next week to establish a cross-border gold trade clearing system, a move the financial chief says will bolster the city’s push to become an international gold trading hub. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po revealed on Sunday that the city and the Shanghai Gold Exchange would sign a memorandum of understanding at the 19th Asian Financial Forum next week to pave the way for greater connectivity between the two markets. “We are accelerating the push to...

Politics

15 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

16 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

19 h. ago US strike in Syria kills leader tied to Isis ambush that left 3 Americans dead

A third round of retaliatory strikes by the US in Syria resulted in the death of an al-Qaeda-affiliated leader, who officials say had a direct tie to the Islamic State member responsible for last month’s ambush that killed two US soldiers and one American civilian interpreter in the country. US Central Command announced that the strike in northwest Syria on Friday killed Bilal Hasan al-Jasim, who they claim was “an experienced terrorist leader who plotted attacks and was directly connected” to...

Events

21 h. ago US slaps tariffs on allies tied to Greenland over Russia, China security fears

US slaps tariffs on allies tied to Greenland over Russia, China security fears  Fox News

Events

26 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

28 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

30 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

32 h. ago Canada and China slash tariffs on EVs and canola in reset of ties

Canada and China slash tariffs on EVs and canola in reset of ties  CNBC

Politics

32 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

32 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

34 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

39 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