Society

All news and posts of our editorial team on the topic

Metaverse in China: a brave new world
The "metaverse" is also the tech buzzword of the hour in China. With gaming giants like Tencent and high 5G coverage, the People's Republic is ideally equipped for the creation of a virtual parallel world. However, the government remains skeptical and is focusing on decoupling in the metaverse as well. continue reading →
Influencer blacklisted
The China Association of Performing Arts (CAPA) has blacklisted another 85 internet livestreamers. So-called “key opinion leaders” such as Tie Shankao (铁山靠) or Guo Laoshi (郭老师) have exerted a bad influence on society and especially on the youth, the cultural authority writes in an official statement. Since the introduction of the “blacklist management system” in […] continue reading →
Birth rate continues to decline
Population growth in China has slowed. According to the latest Statistical Yearbook by the National Bureau of Statistics of China, there were 8.5 births per 1,000 people last year. This data shows that China’s birth rate in 2020 has dropped by the most since 1978. The Health Commission had already stated in July that the […] continue reading →
The market for mindfulness exercises: enlightenment to go
China's wellness industry is booming. After yoga, mindfulness is the latest trend. Mindfulness apps and meditation centers are vying for the Chinese's inner peace. The government hopes spiritual self-help will ease the burden on its poorly developed healthcare system. However, no movement is allowed to become as big as Falun Gong. continue reading →
The case of Peng Shuai: mysterious message as a sign of life
Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai disappeared after accusing a top Chinese politician of sexual assault. Instead of attempting to resolve the situation, Beijing is cracking down with harsh censorship. continue reading →
‘Common prosperity’ – China’s plans for redistribution
"Common prosperity" is currently the main slogan of China's President Xi Jinping. Curbing inequality could significantly shape the country's policies in the coming years. But is Beijing really aiming for a major societal shift? Or are the many speeches about "common prosperity" more an expression of a new populism? continue reading →
MeToo: tennis star Peng Shuai disappeared
Since her allegations against senior cadre Zhang Gaoli (China.Table reported), well-known tennis player Peng Shuai has gone silent on social media. After making the sexual assault public, all of her posts have disappeared from Weibo. The 35-year-old’s whereabouts have been unknown since November 2nd. It is currently not possible to search for the word “tennis” […] continue reading →
Criticism of “Zero COVID” strategy grows
The case of a dog brutally killed by anti-epidemic workers has sparked outrage on Chinese social media over the weekend. The incident occurred in the Golden Phoenix Garden community in the Xinzhou district of Shangrao, a medium-sized prefecture-level city located in the northeast of Jiangxi province. Due to a new confirmed case of COVID-19, the […] continue reading →
“China does not want to close itself off”
Hardly anyone in Germany understands China's economy as well as Doris Fischer from the Julius-Maximilian-Universität of Würzburg. In China.Table, she explains why bad news in individual sectors does not immediately mean that growth will collapse. Unlike other experts, she cannot identify the country's foreclosure. The interview was conducted by Felix Lee. continue reading →