China Macro Economy /

Social Policy

Related Topics:
China's social credit system
China's population
China food safety
China economy
China has banned urban residents from buying up rural homes, as the government seeks to ensure migrant workers maintain a safety net amid a period of economic turbulence. Photo: Xinhua
China food security

China hits brakes on rural land reform in major policy release

Urbanites are now explicitly banned from buying up rural homes, as the government prioritises social stability.

China deflation

China’s latest strategy to get consumers spending: a clampdown on rip-offs

videocam
4
China's population

As rising costs hit health insurance funds, how can China stem the bloodletting?

China's economic recovery

China’s lottery sales see biggest year ever as games become ‘more fun’

Younger generation seen as especially keen on ‘experience economy’, with the thrill of the game overshadowing the slim odds of winning big.

Young people play the lottery in Beijing last June. China’s annual lottery sales reached an all-time high in 2024. Photo: Simon Song
Young people play the lottery in Beijing last June. China’s annual lottery sales reached an all-time high in 2024. Photo: Simon Song
China's economic recovery

China’s super-rich have a new must-have possession: their own university

For China’s billionaires, founding new universities offers a chance to make money – and demonstrate they are ‘politically correct’.

videocam
13
China deflation

China’s exporters face a darker outlook in 2025 – even ‘magic crystal’ vendors

‘Healing’ crystals are generating huge buzz on TikTok, but the Chinese companies that sell them say overseas customers increasingly cannot afford to buy.

videocam
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Lunar New Year

‘Little luxuries’: China’s crystal industry shimmers amid economic unease

Crystals with perceived properties to heal and enhance career prospects are increasingly becoming a source of hope and comfort in tough times.

More Chinese people are turning to crystals for psychological comfort as they cope with anxiety and attempt to navigate uncertainties amid economic challenges and a difficult job market. Photo: Shutterstock
More Chinese people are turning to crystals for psychological comfort as they cope with anxiety and attempt to navigate uncertainties amid economic challenges and a difficult job market. Photo: Shutterstock
Lunar New Year

Why are fewer Chinese employees looking forward to Lunar New Year bonuses?

Workers use bonus levels to gauge companies’ financial health and competitiveness in the coming year.

videocam
13
China's population

No more ‘dragon babies’: China’s birth figures likely to tumble again in 2025

When China recorded an uptick in births last year, some argued the country’s baby bust may be ending. But those hopes are likely to be dashed in 2025, demographers say.

18
Tourism

Will new Harry Potter park spell success as Shanghai tries to enchant tourists?

Talks with Warner Bros could see a 40-year-old theme park in Shanghai converted into an immersive experience for fans of the ‘wizarding world’.

videocam
Visitors wearing costumes take selfies at the opening of a Harry Potter-themed park in Japan in 2023. Photo: EPA-EFE
China inflation

Why are Chinese provinces ditching ‘legacy’ 3% CPI target for 2025?

China is facing a rocky road to reflation after its actual CPI growth stayed far below annual control targets, and regional governments appear less hopeful that consumer demand will markedly rise this year.

Consumers examine blind boxes at a Pop Mart store in Beijing. The nation’s consumer price index target has increasingly become an indicator of demand. Photo: Xinhua
Consumers examine blind boxes at a Pop Mart store in Beijing. The nation’s consumer price index target has increasingly become an indicator of demand. Photo: Xinhua
Asia travel

Chinese cancel Thai holidays as actor Wang Xing’s kidnapping fuels safety fears

Thailand is expected to take a tourism and economic hit from Lunar New Year trip cancellations.

videocam
19
China manufacturing

China EV giant BYD hits skids in Brazil as ‘slavery-like’ claims slam workforce

China’s labour practices are driving a wedge between the world’s biggest EV maker and efforts to expand globally in areas where employee protections are paramount.

videocam
47
China's population

China’s cabinet is calling in humanoid robots to care for granny

To address its rapidly ageing population, China is among the first nations to set policy plans for humanoid robots that will provide companionship, monitor health and may even resemble loved ones.

12
A woman touches a humanoid robot in August during the World Robot Conference in Beijing. Photo: AFP
China jobs

China’s controversial jobless rate needs to be reformed, scholar urges

After a revamp of the youth-unemployment rate sparked concerns over data transparency, calls have come for comprehensive metrics to convey economic reality.

videocam
22
People attend an October job fair in China’s Liaoning province. The nation’s youth-unemployment rate for those aged 16-24 has reflected a weakened job market in recent years. Photo: AFP
People attend an October job fair in China’s Liaoning province. The nation’s youth-unemployment rate for those aged 16-24 has reflected a weakened job market in recent years. Photo: AFP
China travel

Shanghai draws S Koreans in droves as China’s visa-free entry entices travellers

Even some less-visited places around Shanghai are gaining popularity, but the language barrier, pollution and internet censorship may still deter some visits.

13
China jobs

As Gen Z take on greater role in China’s workforce, bosses feel rattled

‘Frankly, extra work is required to meet the emotional needs of young colleagues’.

4
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
China's economic recovery

‘Degree worship’: China middle school sparks debate with elitist hiring policy

Suzhou Middle School provoked backlash after announcing that 10 of its 13 new hires had graduated from elite universities in Beijing.

7
Students celebrate graduating from Peking University. Chinese employers have been accused of “worshipping” graduates from the elite institution in Beijing. Photo: Xinhua
Students celebrate graduating from Peking University. Chinese employers have been accused of “worshipping” graduates from the elite institution in Beijing. Photo: Xinhua
China's economic recovery

Calling all smartphone seekers: China to subsidise personal electronics

In a bid to galvanise business and shore up weak consumption, last year’s trade-in programme is being expanded, making it a good time to save on electronics.

China jobs

How China’s consumption downgrade pushed small businesses to the brink

Small-business owners have been forced to cut staff and close stores in ever greater numbers in recent months, adding to China’s economic gloom.

videocam
6
China's population

Baby boom or bust? The rising cost of China’s childbirth conundrum

World’s second-largest economy is facing unique demographic challenges unlike those seen anywhere in the world, Communist Party publication warns.

14
The head of China’s Institute of Population and Labour Economics has warned that not enough is being done to incentivise people to have children. Photo: Getty Images
US-China relations

Chinese students in US advised to return to campus before Trump takes office

American universities are trying to address an outpouring of concern among anxious international students fearing ‘worst-case scenario’.

videocam
15
Sources say Yale University is among the US universities that have sent notices to international students about leaving the country. Photo: Handout
Sources say Yale University is among the US universities that have sent notices to international students about leaving the country. Photo: Handout
China's economic recovery

Will Taylor Swift accept Hangzhou’s outstretched hand for a China show?

Keen to capitalise on the economic windfall that comes from big-name international performers, Chinese cities are making a concerted effort to host high-profile concerts.

videocam
19
China jobs

An advanced degree in China? Think again, students say, as exam numbers plunge

China’s graduate entrance examination is not seen as the golden ticket to employment that it once was.

5
China's economic recovery

Why are consumers in some of China’s smaller cities outspending metropolitans?

People face less daunting financial pressures and lesser debt burdens in smaller Chinese cities, with relatively stable expectations about the future.

videocam
China’s second- and third-tier cities are seeing retail spending bounce back faster than in first-tier cities. Photo: Reuters
loading
OPINION
Audrey Jiajia Li

Opinion | Spate of random killings rooted in China’s social and economic despair

Audrey Jiajia Li
12
Lub Bun Chong

Opinion | Why China’s GDP growth needs to be read against its social contract

Lub Bun Chong
6
Chow Chung-yan

Opinion | What does Xi’s hi-tech push mean for China?

Chow Chung-yan
7
Lijia Zhang

Opinion | China banning clothes that hurt national feelings would be a stitch too far

Lijia Zhang
23
Shen Yang

Opinion | China’s zero-Covid policy is not helping its drive to raise birth rates

Shen Yang
12
Zhou Xin

Opinion | China’s census accuracy faces reality check amid Covid-19 vaccinations, tests

Zhou Xin
11
TRENDING TOPICS
US-China trade war
Coronavirus China
Made in China 2025
China economy
Belt and Road Initiative
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Help preserve 120 years of quality journalism.
SUPPORT NOW