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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Playing Tag: Oversized Clothing Labels Aim to Curb Order Returns

Amid the annual Double 11 shopping festival, apparel companies have begun attaching A4-paper-sized hangtags to garments to combat excessive returns, including from buyers who return garments after wearing them.

Li Xin

Neurodivergence and Depression: Psych and Tech Merge at CIIE

Companies at the eighth China International Import Expo presented AI-driven products aimed at addressing suicidality in children, neurodivergence in schools, and the need for companionship in adults, among other issues.

Chen Yiru

China Highlights Weight Management Products at 8th CIIE

This year’s import expo features gastric balloons, watches claimed to stimulate fullness, and interactive booths that measure body composition.

Sixth Tone

Age-Old Scams: Short Drama Crews Are Preying on China’s Elderly 

Scammers are posting job ads online seeking older people to fill parental roles in ultrashort dramas, lying to applicants about high salaries and low entry requirements.

He Qitong

All That and Dim Sum: Canton Moves to Regulate Morning Tea

The southern city of Guangzhou has drafted a policy regulating the labeling of dim sum dishes in an effort to preserve authenticity, freshness, and cultural heritage.

AI to Health Care: Takeaways From Shanghai’s Top Think Tank

The mayor’s business advisory council met to discuss ways the city can become more globally competitive, with attending experts suggesting it capitalize on AI and develop its health care system.

In China’s ‘Land of Wilderness,’ a Human Centipede Proves Too Wild

The artwork, along with several others, had been part of a popular art park in the scenic town of Lijiang, Yunnan province, but drew controversy in the past week.

Bloodcats: Video of Stray Cat Blood Trade Scandalizes China

The video, showing a cat being forcibly bled, sparked public outrage and an investigation by the local forestry and parks bureau.

China’s Mice See Stars as Nation Sends Its First Rodents to Space

The mice launched on Oct. 31 and are currently aboard China’s Tiangong space station, where they are being studied for their behavioral response to the spatial environment.

8th China International Import Expo Kicks Off in Shanghai

Thousands of companies from around the world attended the event, where China pledged to expand world access to its market and showcased hundreds of new products and technologies.

The ‘Training Loan’ Scam Trapping Young Chinese in Debt

An online job scam boasting flexible hours and high salaries has targeted fresh graduates, demanding thousands of yuan for training modules and jobs that fall far short of expectations.

Fan Yiying

(Not) Old Enough! Chinese Kids’ Apps Under Fire for Explicit Ads

BabyBus, one of the nation’s largest educational app platforms, has been criticized by parents after their children witnessed violent and erotic ads on several of its apps.

Chinese Government Launches Campaign to Regulate Livestream Tipping

China’s internet regulator is stepping up efforts to curb fraudulent and exploitative tipping practices during livestreams, signaling intensified government scrutiny of the fast-growing sector.

Airport Controversy Sparks Accessibility Conversation in China

A well-known disabled Taiwanese singer called out airport staff online for the difficulty he had boarding a plane while using a wheelchair, leading to a national discussion on public accessibility.