ZGBriefs
ZGBriefs | October 10, 2024
The week-long holiday—which this year started on October 1, China’s National Day, and ended on Monday—is traditionally one of the country’s main travel periods involving billions of journeys inside and outside the country. This year’s holiday came as China’s economy is grappling with flagging growth and with consumer confidence lingering just above historic lows.
ZGBriefs | October 3, 2024
To Scale Peaks, Chinese Hikers Are Hiring Personal Cheerleaders (September 29, 2024, Sixth Tone) The service is part of a broader trend across the country, where young Chinese are increasingly seeking dazi, or “companions,” to counteract feelings of isolation. This emerging market—which includes services like gaming buddies and online chatting partners—is expected to be worth over $7 billion by 2025.
ZGBriefs | September 26, 2024
China’s attitudes towards AI may be at a turning point, with officials not only pushing it up the list of priorities but also coming to terms with its existential capabilities. Matt Sheehan is a Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, specializing in China’s AI safety and governance. His latest paper highlights concerns within China’s government about regulating Artificial Intelligence.
ZGBriefs | September 19, 2024
The Chinese government has released 68-year-old Orange County resident David Lin, who has been behind bars since 2006 serving a life sentence for what the U.S. government says are bogus charges of contract fraud.
ZGBriefs | September 12, 2024
EXPLAINED: What Is the China-Africa Summit and Why Does It Matter (September 3, 2024, Radio Free Asia) Leaders of African countries are arriving in Beijing this week for a China-Africa summit, at which President Xi Jinping is expected to lay out his idea of a "shared future" with African nations, underpinned by Chinese demand for minerals and political support from Global South nations.
ZGBriefs | September 5, 2024
Academic/Science Bars are Trending in China’s First-Tier Cities (September 3, 2024, ChinaSkinny) Imagine attending an architecture talk at a live house in Guangzhou, diving into a sociology discussion at a bar in Shanghai or chatting about philosophy in an outdoor courtyard at a Beijing bar… Academic bars or science bars (学术酒吧) are becoming the latest trend in cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. A typical scene sees consumers at the venues, drink in hand, listening to a lecture on a topic they’re passionate about…
ZGBriefs | August 29, 2024
Blockbuster Chinese Video Game Tried to Police Players - and Divided the Internet (August 25, 2024, BBC News) Ahead of Black Myth’s release, some content creators and streamers revealed that a company affiliated with its developer had sent them a list of topics to avoid talking about while livestreaming the game: including “feminist propaganda, fetishisation, and other content that instigates negative discourse.”
ZGBriefs | August 22, 2024
As we pray for Chongqing this month, several house church pastors told us about the needs and issues they see in their urban city. These pastors feel that Chongqing people are disconnected from their history and their roots. Perhaps due to the trauma of war or upheaval, they have noticed that many locals, both believers and unbelievers, are not aware of their heritage. For the church to flourish and move forward fruitfully, these pastors believe that local people must understand their background and know where they come from.
ZGBriefs | August 15, 2024
Chinese Rock Isn’t Dead (For Now) (August 12, 2024, Sixth Tone) In December, China will celebrate the 30th anniversary of a 3.5-hour concert in Hong Kong’s Hung Hom Coliseum featuring the country’s leading rock acts at that time: Dou Wei, Zhang Chu, He Yong, and the band Tang Dynasty. Often simply referred to as “The Hung Hom Concert,” it has legendary status in contemporary Chinese music lore, celebrated by many as a peak in Chinese rock music that has yet to be surpassed.
ZGBriefs | August 8, 2024
People walking in Shanghai at night with many colored lights advertising businesses. China Unveils Ambitious 5-Year Plan to Overhaul the Hukou System (August 2, 2024, The Diplomat) Economists generally believe that to revitalize its economy, China must pivot from investment-led growth to one that emphasizes domestic consumption and service sector development. Reforming the hukou system is seen as a key lever in this transition, potentially unleashing labor mobility and boosting consumer spending by fully integrating rural migrants into urban economies.