Drum Tower

Just a generation ago, divorce in China was seen by many as shameful. But times have changed—divorce rates are soaring and what was once taboo is now openly discussed. This shift has brought a wave of older singles back into China’s marriage market. David Rennie, The Economist’s Beijing bureau chief, and Alice Su, our senior China correspondent, ask: what does the remarriage market reveal about modern China, and what hopes and fears drive these older singles as they seek new partnerships?Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts.Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

In 2022, a China Eastern Boeing 737 hit the ground in a near-vertical nosedive, killing 132 people. Two years later, there has been no official explanation for the tragedy, and the crash site in Guangxi remains unmarked. It is as if the disaster has been hidden in a memory hole.David Rennie, The Economist’s Beijing bureau chief, and Alice Su, our senior China correspondent, ask: how does Xi Jinping’s China make even large events vanish from public discourse?Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts.Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

Lured in by the promise of a cheap vacation packed with cultural activities, some young Taiwanese are heading to China for state-sponsored summer camps. But beyond the sightseeing and entertainment lies a more covert aim: to awaken Taiwanese youths’ connection to the “motherland”.Alice Su, The Economist’s senior China correspondent and David Rennie, our Beijing bureau chief explore what happens inside these cross-strait youth camps and ask: do they make young Taiwanese feel more Chinese?Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts.Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

Since taking power in 2012, Xi Jinping has been working to restore the Chinese Communist Party’s grassroots influence and to grow its presence in everyday life. In Inner Mongolia, he has revived a Mao-era propaganda tool: Ulan Muqir troupes. Founded in 1957, their name means “Red Bud” in Mongolian, and early teams would carry news and party ideology across the region, through song and dance.David Rennie, The Economist’s Beijing bureau chief, and Alice Su, our senior China correspondent, examine the recent revival of these troupes and ask: why is Xi Jinping reintroducing Mao-era propaganda methods in Inner Mongolia—and are they effective?Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts.Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

American fast food was once a symbol of modernity in China. Pop songs were sung in honour of McDonald’s and families flocked to its restaurants. So why are a growing number of Chinese now favouring local brands? Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence” podcast and Don Weinland, our China business and finance correspondent, discuss a potted history of American fast food in China and ask: what does the country’s changing appetite reveal about China today? This episode features a short extract of "Story of the Spring", written by Jiang Kairu and Ye Xuquan, composed by Wang Yougui and performed by Dong Wenhua. Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts.Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

For decades, rates of myopia have surged among Chinese children. Today, more than half of Chinese youngsters are short-sighted, with rates rising to 80% among high-school graduates. Scientists believe that intense schooling and a lack of time spent outdoors may be to blame. Now, China’s covid lockdowns have inadvertently provided scientists with further evidence that confirms that theory. So why is it so difficult to persuade parents to encourage kids to play outdoors?David Rennie, The Economist’s Beijing bureau chief, and Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence” podcast, examine why short-sightedness is a major problem facing China, and how scientists and public-health officials are trying to tackle it. They ask: what does China’s struggle with myopia reveal about life in the country?Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts.Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

Twice a decade, China’s Communist Party leaders convene at Beijing’s Jingxi Hotel for the “third plenum”, a meeting focused on long-term reforms that has, at times, changed the course of Chinese history. Last week’s plenum took place against a backdrop of economic troubles and growing doubts about Xi Jinping's ability to address them. David Rennie, The Economist’s Beijing bureau chief, and Simon Cox, our China economics editor, unpack what has come out of the meeting. They ask: is China doing enough to fix its economy and is Xi Jinping finally listening? Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts.Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

Move over Beijing and Shanghai. Step aside Shenzhen and Guangzhou. China’s four “first-tier cities”, once magnets for new graduates in search of economic opportunities and big-city living, are out of style. Instead, bright youngsters are flocking to “second-tier cities” such as Chengdu and Chongqing, which stand out for their dynamism, culture and quality of life. Alice Su, The Economist's senior China correspondent, and Gabriel Crossley, our China correspondent in Beijing, ask: what explains the rise of China’s second-tier cities? And can their growth be sustained? Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts.Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.