What happens to the world economy and global geopolitics in 2025 will depend significantly on China, the world’s largest exporter and second-largest consumer market. But prevailing assessments of China’s economic health are deeply flawed. The headlines in 2024 have been mixed. China’s GDP is growing, though the precise rate is always a matter of debate. … Read more
Alex Okwomi trains his lens on his latest clients: two young women whose identical crimson dresses will make a striking photo as they pose and pout against the photogenic skyline of Nairobi’s central business district. “You must have that good language to convince them,” the 27-year-old street photographer says, explaining how he approaches stylish people … Read more
The recent revelation about economist Thabi Leoka falsifying her PhD has sent shockwaves through South Africa’s corporate world. As a trusted advisor to the President and a board member of several listed companies, Leoka built a career on what turned out to be a lie. Earlier this year, President Cyril Ramaphosa fired the disgraced economist … Read more
There is still huge potential to create new jobs in China, the country’s top economic planner said on Tuesday, days after the central government unveiled an array of stimulus measures. Plans were in place to address “structural issues” in employment and expand strategic industries, National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) officials told a press conference … Read more
Shenzhen-based software developer Peter Li was laid off from a leading internet company last month – his first job since graduating from university – after failing to meet department performance targets. He joins a growing group of young victims of China’s grim job market. While the 24-year-old expects to find another job eventually, Li said … Read more
SHANGHAI: Youth unemployment in China climbed to 18.8 per cent in August, its highest level this year, as the country struggles to boost a flagging economy. The unemployment rate among 16- to 24-year-olds not in education rose from 17.1 per cent in July, according to figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on … Read more
In the last of a four-part series on China’s universities and campus life, Alcott Wei investigates why army life has become an attractive option for many of the country’s young people in their quest for a university degree. Read the third part here. For Alan Yuan, joining China’s military wasn’t so much about the lofty … Read more
Canada’s economy shed 2,800 jobs in July while the unemployment rate was unchanged at 6.4 per cent, Statistics Canada said on Friday. Employment fell in wholesale and retail trade, which shed 44,000 jobs, and in finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing, which shed 15,000 jobs. Public administration, transportation and warehousing, and utilities saw jobs gains. … Read more
THE POST-2000s GENERATION Ms Feng and her husband are from the post-2000s generation, the first of whom entered the job market in 2022, just as China and the world were coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic. The generation has been described as one that goes through life “lying flat” – just doing enough to get … Read more
“Development is the hard truth,” Deng said, and all debates about whether reform policies were capitalist or socialist should stop. Instead, support should go to whatever reforms benefited productivity, the overall strength of the country and living standards of the people. Generations of Chinese leaders have stayed true to that principle. President Xi Jinping, who … Read more
