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The Big Switch

Articles that cut to the core of contemporary China. In-depth, informed, and carefully crafted, every piece is carried by the voices of the story’s participants.

FEATURES

China is producing EVs at an unprecedented scale, reshaping industries, economies, and daily life. Sixth Tone unpacks what’s working, what’s breaking down, and what’s next in a race that’s upending the global auto market.

Sixth Tone

The Motor Cities Behind China’s EV Empire

China’s push to dominate the EV market starts in factory towns deep in the countryside, where assembly lines run day and night and life is tethered to nonstop production.

Jiang Xinyi

Wu Huiyuan 

The Secrets of the Shang

SPECIAL PROJECTS

Sometimes called the “holy land” of Chinese archaeology, Yinxu remains a mystery even today.

Wu Haiyun

In Laos, a New Railway Signals a Future in China’s Orbit

In Laos, a new $6 billion rail line is driving rapid social and economic changes — and bringing China ever closer.

Shanghai Metro 3.0

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

This year, the Shanghai Metro turns 30. To mark this milestone, Sixth Tone discovers the metro afresh.

Five Solutions to China’s Energy Woes

Contributions from individuals with unique perspectives to share. Hear from everyone, from experts and commentators to those whose voices are often marginalized.

VOICES & OPINION

Can China decarbonize without threatening grid stability? Five experts share their views on China’s energy dilemma.

Cai Yiwen

The Hunt for  China’s Tallest Tree

Photographer Xi Zhinong on his race to find and protect some of the country’s most valuable biological resources.

Xi Zhinong

Across China, Species on the Brink

China's endangered animals are running out of time, and out of space.

Changemakers

Hindsight Is 2020: Looking Back on COVID-19, One Year Later

Visual stories that get up close and personal with contemporary China. A mix of short videos, documentaries, photography, and data visualization.

MULTIMEDIA

As the world reels from the effects of the pandemic, recently released data for over 11,000 confirmed coronavirus patients in China help tell the story of how it all began.

China’s Anti-Poverty Campaign: The View from the Villages

In 2020, the Chinese government declared victory in its war on poverty. But for many communities, it feels like the fight for a better life is just beginning.

The Palace Museum’s Quiet War

Faced with the prospect of an imminent Japanese invasion, staff at China’s Palace Museum scrambled to keep the country’s most precious relics safe.

Huang Wei

The Telescope at the End of the Universe

On a lonely mountaintop in southwestern China, a small group of engineers is quietly seeking answers to life’s ultimate questions.

Ye Ruolin

Temples for the Masses: The Chinese ‘Adopting’ Local Monuments

In northern China, overstretched local authorities are asking ordinary residents to restore historic monuments. But things haven’t always been going according to plan.

Cai Xuejiao

‘Gaokao’ 2020: The Rights and Wrongs of China’s Dreaded Exam

China’s college entrance exam is designed to give every student a fair and equal chance of success. But in 2020, some are more equal than others.

Brick by Brick

Inside the mammoth project to restore the Great Wall of China.

Wuhan Case Files

Four medical workers share stories from the heart of China’s COVID-19 epidemic.

Ghosts from the Shells

Abandoned Japanese chemical weapons have poisoned thousands since the end of WWII. For those that survive, the battle is far from over.