Opinion | As China urges couples to have children, reality TV shows tell a different story

Opinion | As China urges couples to have children, reality TV shows tell a different story

For weeks, a married friend has been watching a divorce reality show and telling me how much he wanted these couples to break up. One man was too manipulative, another didn’t appreciate his wife’s contributions and one woman was just needy. I still wondered how a married man could wish for others to get divorced. … Read more

Chinese police can use text message evidence in crackdown on domestic violence

Chinese police can use text message evidence in crackdown on domestic violence

Police issuing warnings in domestic violence cases could use video and audio recordings, text messages, testimony from children or neighbours, and medical records as evidence, Chinese authorities said in new national guidelines. The guidelines were recently issued by nine government agencies – including the Ministry of Public Security, the Supreme Court and the All-China Women’s … Read more

After outcry, Chinese health body takes down propaganda aimed at boosting birth rate

After outcry, Chinese health body takes down propaganda aimed at boosting birth rate

Following a public backlash, China’s health authorities to remove propaganda suggesting that giving birth could make women smarter, prevent tumours and relieve menstrual cramps. The National Health Commission (NHC) made the claims in an article posted online on Wednesday to urge Chinese women to have children and combat a looming demographic crisis. But by Friday … Read more

China takes down fake news about its military, closes social media accounts

China takes down fake news about its military, closes social media accounts

Chinese internet regulators are removing social media accounts that use fake information to hype the country’s military strength, including false reports of “cyberwarfare” in the South China Sea. A sample post from June on Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, read: “Breaking news: China and the US engaged in 12 hours of cyber warfare, causing Luzon … Read more

China to end Australian lobster ban by end of year, ‘huge relief’ for industry

China to end Australian lobster ban by end of year, ‘huge relief’ for industry

Australian businesses welcomed the removal of China’s trade impediments on its live lobsters, which are set to be dropped after more than three years following a meeting between Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Thursday. The unofficial import ban will be lifted by the end of the year, and a timeline … Read more

Chinese state media warns of privacy risk from selling government data

Chinese state media warns of privacy risk from selling government data

Chinese state media has warned that selling government data risks privacy breaches and could even put national security at risk. “Government data is characterised by a large sample size, high sensitivity, and strong aggregation, making it highly susceptible to breaches of privacy data,” said a report published on Tuesday by Xinhua Daily Telegraph, an outlet … Read more

Child, 2 women injured in apparent China knife attack on Japanese school bus

Child, 2 women injured in apparent China knife attack on Japanese school bus

A small child and two women were injured when a man, who appeared to be armed with a knife, attacked a bus used by a Japanese school in Suzhou, eastern China on Monday, according to Tokyo’s consulate in Shanghai. According to a Reuters report, the Japanese woman was standing at the bus stop with her … Read more