Five things at the top of China’s agenda for 2025 (January 2, 2025, Asia Times)
The year 2024 has been a challenging one for China. As its government has tackled economic problems at home, internationally it has handled the complexities of an alliance with Russia. And, while China has continued to play a significant role in the global economy, there are five possible areas that could derail its plans in 2025.
China's overqualified youth taking jobs as drivers, labourers and film extras (January 4, 2025, BBC)
China is now a country where a high-school handyman has a master's degree in physics; a cleaner is qualified in environmental planning; a delivery driver studied philosophy, and a PhD graduate from the prestigious Tsinghua University ends up applying to work as an auxiliary police officer. These are real cases in a struggling economy - and it is not hard to find more like them.
Doomed to fail? Hong Kong’s attempt to tackle ‘shoebox housing’ runs into trouble (January 3, 2025, The Guardian)
Hong Kong is famous for its cramped and tiny apartments, or “shoebox housing”, a name that somehow still doesn’t fully convey the claustrophobic nature of the spaces. New reforms announced this year attempt to tackle the problem by mandating major improvements and regulations to be in place by the end of 2026.
What is HMPV? China steps up emergency measures amid new virus outbreak (January 5, 2025, The Independent)
China is experiencing a surge in infections of a respiratory virus, leading to overcrowded hospitals, emergency measures, and public concerns about an outbreak. The virus, identified as human metapneumovirus (HMPV), has seen cases spiking across northern Chinese provinces this winter, particularly among children.
Welcoming Chinese visitors: can Nepal cash in on Beijing’s tourism campaign? (November 9, 2024, South China Morning Post) (Subscription required)
Nepal should introduce more incentives and use Chinese social media platforms to promote itself to bring in visitors. Over the past decade, China has become a major tourist source for the Himalayan nation known for its trekking trails in the foothills of the Everest and Annapurna mountain ranges.
'Mounting stress and pressure': Can a national hotline help address mental health issues in China? (January 6, 2025, Channel News Asia)
An increasing number of people in the country are coming under “mounting stress and pressure” and grappling with mental health problems amid “fast economic development, rapid urbanisation and a swiftly ageing society…”
The artist creating mind-bending images of an alternate Hong Kong through AI (January 2, 2025, CNN)
Many of her images are set in an AI-exaggerated version of the Kowloon Walled City — a former Qing dynasty fortress that became the most densely populated place on Earth. Refugees fleeing from mainland China during the Chinese civil war, flooded into then-British ruled Hong Kong and had made the enclave their home.
Readers’ Choice: Most-Read Posts of 2024 (December 31, 2024, ChinaSource)
Happy last day of 2024! While we’re looking forward to 2025, we also want to remember the highlights of the last 12 months, with a couple of bonus articles. Enjoy!
Interview: Pastors Must Step Out of Church Walls for Ministry in Workplace (December 30, 2024, China Christian Daily)
Amid the shifting tides of the times, the mode of church ministry is constantly evolving. Recently, Paul, a male pastor from a city church in East China, shared his church’s understanding of ministry. They believe that in today’s era, the workplace is the most strategic mission field. It is the pastors (rather than the believers) who must step out of the church’s four walls and earn the trust of the world.
The Immigrant Church…in Southeast Asia: Part 1 (December 30, 2024, China Partnership)
As more and more Chinese leave the country, they are not only moving to the U.S. or Western countries. Many Chinese are settling in other Asian countries, places not so far from their original home, countries like Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, and other southeast Asian destinations. Among the current diaspora are many Christians, including house church pastors.