Chinese legal community asks: where is the line on death penalty for corrupt officials?

Chinese legal community asks: where is the line on death penalty for corrupt officials?

The Chinese legal community’s latest discussion about standards for the death penalty come after a court in Inner Mongolia autonomous region upheld the death sentence of a local official who pleaded guilty to pocketing more than 3 billion yuan (US$422 million) in total. On August 27, Inner Mongolia’s regional high court dismissed an appeal by … Read more

Chinese cooking oil scandal prompts new safety rules for transporting products

Chinese cooking oil scandal prompts new safety rules for transporting products

China is a major consumer of vegetable oil and has a great need for oil transport, according to the draft. In 2023, the entire country consumed a total of 39 million tonnes of oil. In the wake of the scandal, the State Council, China’s cabinet, has asked for timely industry regulations, it said. The draft … Read more

China’s anti-corruption net has risk-averse officials afraid to innovate

China’s anti-corruption net has risk-averse officials afraid to innovate

The problem became so acute that in 2021 Xi slammed officials for waiting for his directions to act, and asked rhetorically: “If I didn’t hand out instructions, would these officials do any work?” In the Communist Party’s key conclave, the third plenum that concluded last month, leaders again sought to take aim at widespread sloth, … Read more

Why search for love in the ‘iron rice bowl’ may be killing growth in northern China

Why search for love in the ‘iron rice bowl’ may be killing growth in northern China

Next, she tried for a clerical job with the military, and failed again. “I felt that I desired freedom too much to get in,” said Li, who now works as a website editor in Beijing. 03:15 Young feminist defies Chinese government’s childbearing drive as population shrinks Young feminist defies Chinese government’s childbearing drive as population … Read more

Boris Johnson’s youngest brother Max on Hong Kong, Covid frustrations, and a special trip with dad

Boris Johnson’s youngest brother Max on Hong Kong, Covid frustrations, and a special trip with dad

It was nice to be with my friends all the time. Oxford was a lovely place to grow up in. I wasn’t in the top set, but I was in the one below that. I was quite clever, vaguely sporty and very competitive. Max Johnson (left) with Boris Johnson (second left) and other family members, … Read more

China’s Inner Mongolia emerges as model for Xi Jinping’s ethnic affairs policy, but analysts warn of cultural ‘erosion’

China’s Inner Mongolia emerges as model for Xi Jinping’s ethnic affairs policy, but analysts warn of cultural ‘erosion’

While Inner Mongolia has trumpeted its success, analysts have raised concerns that the policies could weaken the identity of ethnic minority groups. They say the region’s policies are a sign of things to come for China’s other autonomous regions. China to more tightly control ethnic minority discussion to temper ‘risks’ According to the 2020 national … Read more

Plains, trains and uncommon zeal: China’s varied landscapes photographed via railways that traverse them

Plains, trains and uncommon zeal: China’s varied landscapes photographed via railways that traverse them

Since leaving full-time employment in 2015 – a seven-year, post-university stint as an accountant for professional services network Deloitte – Wang’s interest in railways, and photographing them, has morphed from a hobby into his raison d’être. Photographer Wang Lu. He spends three to five months of every year travelling to photograph railway scenes in China. … Read more