Timely reports on issues and events from across China. Drawing on a vast range of sources, these succinct articles provide insights into the significance of each issue in a wider context.

NEWS

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China’s ‘Magic Mike’ Show Tests the Line Between Dance, Spectacle

A viral all-male dance production has packed theaters and flooded Chinese social media, while critics question its flirtatious choreography.

Jiang Xinyi

Famed Chinese Sci-Fi Writer Sparks Debate Over AI-Written Books

Hao Jingfang admitted that she had used AI to produce her children’s science fiction series.

Bot for Profit: Can China’s Top AI App Convince Users to Pay?

China’s most popular chatbot has announced new subscription plans, marking a turning point for the country’s AI industry as companies look to convert massive user bases into revenue.

Fan Yiying

Li Rongxuan

At the Shanghai Film Festival, AI Gets Its Mainstream Break

The festival, one of the largest in Asia, has brought together AI content creators and traditional filmmakers to spur dialogue and collaborations around the latest technology.

He Qitong

China’s Lifelike Emotional Companion Bots Go on Sale

The life-size robot is billed as an emotional companion, employing both affective AI and encrypted memory storage.

String Theory: Yarn Crafts Find a New Generation in China

From weaving to knitting, yarn crafts are back in vogue in China. Young professionals and university students are using them to find peace and community, and to connect with family.

Li Xin

Liu Haowen

Title Fight: China’s New TV Credit Rules Target Toxic Fandoms

To ease fandom and legal disputes, names will now be listed according to the number of brushstrokes in actors’ surnames.

Robot, Giant, Ha Baby: China’s Many Versions of Erling Haaland

The Norway and Manchester City striker has become an online obsession in China, with fans creating memes and remixes exaggerating his size, expressions, and on-field feats.

Locked Out of China’s AI Boom, Graduates Turn to Bootcamps

With new graduates facing a crowded job market, AI bootcamps are offering three-month courses designed to turn newcomers into junior AI workers.

Mao Rui

Goose, Goose, Duck: The Unmaking of a Beijing Street Food Legend

Auntie Goose Legs, a cult favorite at Beijing’s top universities, admitted the goose legs that made her famous were actually duck, triggering backlash and an official investigation.

Xie Anran

Fake Tests, Hidden Ads: China Targets Review Influencers

After years of complaints about disguised ads and rigged product tests, regulators are tightening oversight of the online review industry.