Stories about China
Can Hong Kong afford its planned artificial island construction project?
In addition to the irreversible damage to Hong Kong's marine life and sea beds, the city’s fiscal reserves may be completely drained in a decade or so thanks to the pricy project.
Chinese citizens find ways to dissent despite the risks
While Xi Jinping has imposed extreme censorship over Chinese society, dissent continues to happen despite immense risks for Chinese individuals, as a new database mapping protests across China shows.
Digital rights activist groups urge tech giants to defend against Hong Kong’s injunctions against protest anthem
More than 24 human rights and digital rights groups believed that the injunctions, once granted, would have a “disastrous effect” on freedom of expression and information access, with global implications.
A leaked report exposes government's cover-up of repressions against Uyghurs in China
The leaked document sheds light on the Chinese authorities’ comprehensive and intense efforts to cover up these violations and restrict access to information by international media.
Togo and China: Half a century of fruitful cooperation, but also of rejection of any form of criticism
After a presence since 1972, China celebrates 51 years of cooperation with Togo in 2023. While Lomé and Beijing publicize an ideal relationship, the reality on the ground is more complicated.
How do international media portray Taiwan in their coverage?
Global mainstream media often reduce their coverage of a country based on assumed risks for conflict, as is the case for Taiwan. How does the Taiwanese media assess this portrayal?
Hong Kong Court asks: Who are the defendants of the protest anthem injunctions?
"Even if [the injunction] successfully restrained Google, it would only prohibit its circulation within Hong Kong. The SAR government has to apply an injunction in the U.S.A to take down the videos globally […]"
Taiwan and Burkina Faso: A tumultuous history of cooperation and estrangement
While Taiwan was present in Western Africa in the 1960s, there is little memory left of this period, as Taiwan-based Burkinabe scholar Dramane Thiombiano explains to Global Voices.
Hong Kong authorities clamp down on the annual commemoration of the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown
Ahead of the 34th anniversary of the June 4th 1989 Tiananmen crackdowns, the Chinese term “special days” or “special occasion” replaced former political slogans like “vindication of June 4” because of censorship
Taiwan and Central Europe are increasingly aligned politically and economically: Interview with Polish analyst Marcin Jerzewski
Taiwan and Central Europe did not prioritize mutual relations until the COVID-19 pandemic during which they developed intensive ties that have evolved today to a much more robust relationship.
A Sinophone podcast finds a loyal audience both in China and among the Chinese diaspora
One Sinophone podcast focusing on global as well as hyper-local issues is connecting China and its large overseas population thanks to a well-balanced selection of topics and guests.
With the death of Pema Tseden, Tibetan cinema just lost its most iconic director
Contemporary Tibetan cinema just lost its most famous and avant-garde film director, Pema Tseden, who specialized in portraying the clash of Chinese modernity and traditional Tibetan society.
China is tackling its food crisis by turning forests into farmland
Although China’s total grain output — 686.53 million tons in 2022 — could fully feed its 1.3 billion population, it is still looking to convert massive swaths of forest and green space to farmland.
As Hong Kong's democracy deteriorates, its citizens are less welcome to settle in Taiwan
As democracy and freedom continue deteriorating in Hong Kong, Taiwan sets to increase barriers to issuing permanent residency visas to Hongkongers.
Taiwan's official diplomatic relations: A hard game to play in the face of China's obstruction
Taiwan, which has diplomatic relations with 13 countries, multiplies other forms of public diplomacy to maintain engagement and support with many countries, particularly in Central Europe.
Pro-Beijing politicians urge Hong Kong to scrap the Gay Games 2023
Anticipating political pressures from the conservatives, Gay Games Hong Kong has adopted a depoliticised strategy by stressing the economic benefit of hosting the international event in Hong Kong.
‘Overseas Chinese writer is now a label’: Interview with youth author Xia Zhou
Overseas Sinophone writers tend to continue writing in Chinese no matter what, according to young Chinese author Xia Zhou who now lives in the US.
The reasons behind the myth of Cantonese as a more authentic Chinese language
Claims that local languages, including Sichuanese and Cantonese, only lost one vote to Mandarin to become China’s “national language” have kept popping up on the internet from time to time.
How do Mandarin Chinese-speakers reference their own language in Mandarin Chinese?
Mandarin Chinese-speakers have about a dozen terms to describe the different spoken and written forms of the language, offer alluding to various cultural or political affiliations.
State violence and the standardization of the Chinese language
After implementing compulsory education in 1986, Putonghua was promulgated as the primary language in schools, and recently it has replaced indigenous languages in autonomous regions, including Xinjiang, inner Mongolia and Tibet.
‘History of love in the country of hatred': influencers detained in Russia for LGBTQ+ ‘propaganda’
Apart from widespread censorship, the Russian "anti- LGBT propaganda" law leads to unprecedented pressure on LGBTQ+ people and the organizations helping them.