Mistral点评

• US Typhon missile system in Philippines has China facing ‘more tense security situation’
• Why China’s clean tech glut is a net global positive
• China’s Chang’e-6 reveals greyer, rockier soil from far side of the moon
• China woman survived husband’s attempted murder in cliff fall gives birth to IVF baby
• China’s strides in academic research signal narrowing US lead in medical science
• Pakistan’s potential Brics entry seen as benefiting China at India’s expense
• 1.2 million mainland Chinese visitors expected in Hong Kong for National Day ‘golden week’ break
• Von der Leyen strengthens EU grip, but hawkish China agenda to be tested by EV tariffs row
• US prepares to ban Chinese, Russian software in connected vehicles over security fears
• From da Vinci to George Lucas, the myth and allure of China’s Dunhuang endures
• Chinese national jailed for stealing credit card from passenger on Malaysia-Singapore flight
• China high-pay women chauffeur service to transport drunk bosses raises safety concerns
• China ‘testing us’ across the region, Biden tells leaders at Quad summit
• China’s education spending remains resolute despite harsh lesson of economic woes
• How 5 international brands are charting growth in China despite miserly consumers
• Lululemon, Arc’teryx lead niche apparel brands defying China’s spending downturn
• Why learning to love China isn’t like any other school subject
• Taiwan looks to plug border holes after 2 landings by mainland Chinese men in small boats
• China father ties son with rope and speaks with police about his school dropout
• China’s museums are full, but graduates can’t find jobs. What’s the state of the art?

US Typhon missile system in Philippines has China facing ‘more tense security situation’

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3279516/us-typhon-missile-system-philippines-has-china-facing-more-tense-security-situation?utm_source=rss_feed

Washington’s plans to retain its Typhon missile system in the Philippines while stepping up defence engagement with other Asia-Pacific allies pose heightened security risks for China, according to analysts.

The mid-range missile system has remained in the Philippines since it was brought in during a joint exercise with American forces in April, as tensions spiked in the South China Sea between rival claimants Beijing and Manila – a US treaty ally.

Washington had no immediate plans to withdraw the system despite demands from Beijing, Reuters reported last week, adding that the US was testing the feasibility of using the system in a regional conflict.

Manila said in July that the system could be withdrawn as early as September, but a top Philippine security official said on Friday that there was no immediate timeline for this.

Zhu Feng, executive dean of Nanjing University’s School of International Studies, said the United States’ moves were reminiscent of the Cold War.

“[The US] is deploying missiles in the Philippines now, and it could possibly [deploy weapons] to [treaty allies] South Korea and Japan in the future, and it is essentially provoking a new cold war in the Asia-Pacific region,” he said.

The Typhon system, which is stationed on the northern Philippine island of Luzon can be equipped with cruise missiles to strike targets in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait. This is the first time that a mid-range missile system has been stationed in the Asia-Pacific since a 1987 US-Soviet treaty prohibited such deployments.

Beijing has repeatedly demanded the removal of the system. China’s foreign ministry said on Thursday that the deployment had severely threatened regional security, urging the US to honour its commitment and stop actions that provoke military confrontation.

Separately on Saturday, the US – along with Japan, India and Australia – pledged to expand joint Indian Ocean security operations and increase coastguard cooperation “to uphold a free and open Indo-Pacific”. The joint statement came as leaders of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or Quad, met in the US state of Delaware for their fourth in-person summit.

Zhu at Nanjing University said it was important for China and the United States to step up military dialogue, resumed recently after prolonged tensions as the two powers try to manage crisis risks.

The Quad statement on Saturday raised concerns about the situation in the South China Sea and pledged increased coastguard cooperation to launch the first-ever “Quad-at-Sea Ship Observer Mission” next year, aiming to “improve interoperability and advance maritime safety”.

“The US has also been engaging in minilateralism to strengthen the isolation and containment of China. China is facing a more tense security situation in the region,” Zhu cautioned.

Shi Yinhong, a professor of international relations at Beijing’s Renmin University, also said China could face a serious threat with the Typhon system in place, given that its own missile defence systems still needed improvement.

He said the situation appeared to be more troubling for China, considering the rapid US military deployment in its western Pacific territory of Guam and Japan’s plans to deploy medium- to long-range land-based US weapon systems.

Shi said both China and the US clearly wanted to prevent any military conflict, but Beijing’s hopes that the [Typhon] missile systems would be withdrawn from the Philippines soon were “unrealistic”.

Zhou Bo, a senior fellow at Tsinghua University’s Centre for International Security and Strategy, said while it was still uncertain how long the Typhon system would remain in the Philippines, China’s own mid-range missile systems could also offer deterrence.

The missile issue may be raised in the US-China military dialogues, but these might become more complicated as the US boosts its regional alliances, he said.

“There is a clear new factor in the military dialogues between China and the US compared to before, which is the third-party factor that the Biden administration has been pushing to strengthen alliances with other countries.”

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Why China’s clean tech glut is a net global positive

https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3279167/why-chinas-clean-tech-glut-net-global-positive?utm_source=rss_feed

With senior American officials meeting their Chinese counterparts last week to discuss the effects of China’s manufacturing “overcapacity” on the US economy, it is worth pausing to consider both the significant benefits and concerns over Beijing’s massive and unprecedented expansion of clean energy technology.

China’s leadership across all facets of decarbonisation, including research and development, investment, manufacturing and deployment, has delivered exceptional economic outcomes at home.

According to analysis published by the Helsinki-based Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, 40 per cent of China’s gross domestic product growth was driven by the clean energy industry in 2023, underpinning its continued economic development domestically as the property construction sector slows.

This has global repercussions. For example, in the solar manufacturing supply chain, China accounts for 93 per cent of the global polysilicon production capacity, a key input for solar panels. Its dramatic scaling-up of production to globally dominant levels has drastically reduced polysilicon prices.

Other nations are struggling to compete. While prices for polysilicon produced outside China have remained high – at around US$21 per kg – within China, this has fallen to US$4-US$5 per kg.

Even with the domestic deployment of 123GW of new solar capacity nationwide during the first seven months of this year, China cannot absorb its current levels of production. Its resulting clean tech glut has driven continued export growth on top of astonishing price deflation of Chinese components. This is where the contention with the US lies. The latter accuses China of flooding markets with heavily subsidised products, damaging American jobs and industrial production.

However, viewing China’s overcapacity merely as a threat overlooks the massive potential it brings for an accelerated roll-out of clean energy in a world that must rapidly decarbonise to tackle the existential problem of climate change.

The International Energy Agency reports that, thanks to the scaling up of China’s manufacturing, 96 per cent of utility-scale solar and onshore wind installed in 2022 cost less than new coal and gas plants. This is crucial to enable less-developed economies struggling to decarbonise, including those in the Global South, to secure their energy independence, especially as global electrification is expected to increase electricity demand in the coming decades.

Countries like Pakistan have benefited significantly from China’s solar capacity. During the first half of 2024, it imported 13GW of solar modules from China, making it the third-largest export destination for Chinese solar.

It is estimated that Pakistan will add 10GW-15GW of solar capacity this year on top of the existing 50GW capacity of its power system. In markets like Pakistan, in other words, China’s overcapacity translates into tangible gains, allowing countries with limited resources to walk among rich nations amid the global energy transition.

The question arises: is this truly an issue of overcapacity, or of underdeployment – a massive global opportunity to drive energy security, deflation and decarbonisation by rolling out clean technology systems across the globe, at a speed and scale commensurate with that of the climate crisis? This is a critical concern, since the world cannot effectively address the climate challenge without slashing emissions in emerging and developing economies.

China also brings benefits to the world in other sectors critical to energy transition. Battery cell prices have halved this year thanks to China’s manufacturing capacity expansions. This price signal is crucial for the integration of renewable energy into grids, because batteries are needed for a reliable and stable renewables-based energy system.

The US, too, could benefit from China’s clean technology manufacturing capacity boom, to reduce costs, further enhance energy security and accelerate its trajectory towards net zero. In the fields of solar power and batteries, Chinese manufacturers are heavily investing in the US, helping build local supply chain capabilities and boosting domestic employment.

World-leading Jinko Solar has a solar facility with 400MW annual manufacturing capacity in Florida, with approved expansion plans to increase capacity to 2GW once complete. In 2023, Trina Solar announced a US$200 million investment to build a 5GW solar module factory in Texas, which the company says will create 1,500 local jobs.

Longi Solar has agreed to partner with a US company to invest in a solar module manufacturing plant in Ohio. This 5GW plant is one of the largest planned solar plants in the US since the introduction of the Inflation Reduction Act – a key part of US President Joe Biden’s domestic climate agenda designed to decarbonise and reindustrialise the US economy.

China’s battery manufacturers including CATL, Gotion, Eve Energy and Guangzhou Tinci Materials Technology have reportedly announced plans to invest in and establish large-scale manufacturing plants across the US.

As for the argument that deploying Chinese-made clean energy technologies would risk national energy security, that is debatable. Once solar, wind or other clean technology infrastructure is installed, it becomes a permanent asset of the host country.

A global perspective suggests this energy transformation can only contribute to national energy security by decoupling nations from the vulnerabilities that come with dependence on the global coal, oil and gas supply chain, the volatility of which is evident from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The world community needs to pivot away from fossil fuels, as the window to tackle climate change narrows. The global energy transformation requires a market-driven, pragmatic approach beyond geopolitical rivalries. The more pressing question is how, in the absence of a global carbon price, we scale up global clean energy deployments fast and fairly. China continues to provide clean technology solutions.

China’s Chang’e-6 reveals greyer, rockier soil from far side of the moon

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3279497/chinas-change-6-reveals-greyer-rockier-soil-far-side-moon?utm_source=rss_feed

China has offered a first glimpse at the soil samples brought back by the Chang’e-6 mission from the far side of the moon.

The Chang’e-6 lunar probe returned to Earth in June after a 53-day mission, during which it collected more than 1.9kg (4.2lbs) of soil through scooping and drilling operations.

Three months after the mission, the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (NAOC) revealed these samples at their Lunar Sample Laboratory on Saturday.

According to state broadcaster CCTV news, the samples are being stored in a nitrogen-filled cabinet alongside those from the Chang’e-5 mission.

The samples from Chang’e-6 appear slightly lighter in colour and greyer compared to those from Chang’e-5.

“This is due to the presence of a significant amount of white material, including more feldspar minerals, and a higher quantity of glass fragments, making them appear lighter overall,” said Li Chunlai, deputy chief designer of the Chang’e-6 mission.

The samples were sealed in special containers under vacuum conditions on the lunar surface. After returning to Earth, it took around two months to unseal, sort, and separate them into smaller portions suitable for experiments, according to the CCTV report.

“We first separate rock fragments larger than 1mm (0.04 inches) because these are likely to have been ejected from other locations. The method of studying these fragments differs from that of the powder samples,” Li said.

The Chang’e-6 samples appear to have more rock fragments compared to the soil collected on the previous mission.

“Our preliminary judgment is that there should be a 50-metre (164-foot) impact crater next to the Chang’e-6 landing site. It is very likely that the ejecta from the impact crater were sampled by Chang’e-6,” said Liu Jianjun, a researcher at the NAOC, in an interview on Saturday.

The samples obtained by drilling present even greater challenges in handling. “They constitute less than 20 per cent of the total sample weight, with a significant part adhering to the sample bags,” Li said.

“But we need to divide them into over 100 samples based on drilling depth, at intervals of 1.5cm (0.6 inches) each. This preprocessing work is expected to take another one to two months,” Li added.

The first research paper based on the new lunar soil was published in the journal National Science Review on September 17. It detailed the physical, mineral, and geochemical characteristics of the samples from Chang’e-6. The paper highlighted the new sample’s lower density and more porous structure.

China’s lunar exploration missions continue to make progress. The Yutu-2 lunar rover, which made a historic touchdown on the far side of the moon in 2019 as part of the Chang’e-4 mission, is still operational and sent back its latest images on Tuesday.

It has been working continuously for about five years and nine months, far exceeding its design life of three months. Yutu-2 has travelled 1,613 metres in total, making it the longest-operating rover on the moon.

China aims to launch its Chang’e-7 and Chang’e-8 missions in the coming years to explore the lunar south pole, which would lay the foundation to set up a research station on the moon.

The country also plans to send astronauts to the moon by 2030 and conduct further missions to explore Mars.

“The coming lunar exploration missions including Chang’e-7, Chang’e-8, as well as asteroid exploration missions Tianwen-2 and Tianwen-3, are progressing as planned,” Bian Zhigang, deputy director of the China National Space Administration, said in June.

China woman survived husband’s attempted murder in cliff fall gives birth to IVF baby

https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3279332/china-woman-survived-husbands-attempted-murder-cliff-fall-gives-birth-ivf-baby?utm_source=rss_feed

A woman in China who lost her unborn child after being pushed off a cliff in Thailand by her husband has given birth to a son five years later, warming hearts on mainland social media.

Wang Nan, 37, known online as Wang Nuannuan, suffered severe injuries during the 34-metre drop while on holiday in northeast Thailand’s Pha Taem National Park in June 2019.

Wang sustained 17 fractures, had more than 100 steel pins inserted in her body, and was confined to a wheelchair for three years. After undergoing multiple surgeries, she was able to stand and walk unaided by last year.

Her husband, Yu Xiaodong, attempted to kill her so he could inherit her substantial assets to settle his gambling debts. Yu was sentenced to 33 years and four months in prison by a Thai court in June last year after a third hearing of the case.

On September 17, Wang posted on Weibo that she had given birth to a son and included a photo of herself with the baby: “My son and I are safe. Thank you, my dear baby, for coming into my world,” she wrote.

That day also marked the Mid-Autumn Festival, an auspicious date in Chinese culture dedicated to family reunions under the full moon.

Wang chose not to disclose any information about the father of the child due to her “special circumstances.”

She expressed gratitude for the birth of her son, saying: “On this Mid-Autumn Festival, you’ve made my life complete.”

“I am also thankful to every kind person in my life because without you I could not have continued, and I wouldn’t have had the chance to welcome new life again,” she added.

On April 20, Wang revisited Pha Taem National Park to hug the workers who rescued her and presented a thank-you banner to the local police station. Her courage and gratitude garnered widespread praise.

In a previous interview with the mainland news portal 163.com, she said her terrifying ordeal had left her too afraid to love a man again and that she was “instinctively fearful of males”.

On June 1, Wang shared the good news of her pregnancy with her fans on Douyin, revealing that she had conceived her baby through in vitro fertilisation (IVF).

The location of the IVF procedure remains unclear. In China, couples must show their marriage certificates and identity cards to medical institutions to undergo the process.

News of Wang giving birth to a son quickly made headlines on mainland social media, with related topics garnering 35 million views on Weibo.

“I’m moved to tears for Wang once again. Congratulations on the birth of her child. Wang deserves the best in this world,” one online observer commented.

“Bless you and your child. Looking forward to more heartwarming videos with your little baby,” another remarked.

Wang filed for divorce last year and her lawyer told mainland media outlet Jimu News that the case is pending.

Wang has made a new start in Hangzhou, eastern China, where she sells cosmetic products to her 4.4 million followers on Douyin through live-streaming.

Her profile on the platform reflects her courageous journey: “I was always a warm person, just trapped in a long nightmare. The future is still long; I need time to heal, and I will get better.”

China’s strides in academic research signal narrowing US lead in medical science

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3279386/chinas-strides-academic-research-signal-narrowing-us-lead-medical-science?utm_source=rss_feed

China is rapidly narrowing the gap with the United States in medical research publications, a trend fuelled by both government policies and the development of artificial intelligence (AI), according to a top scientific publisher.

Marie Souliere, head of editorial ethics and quality assurance at Frontiers, one of the biggest academic publishers in the world, said she had seen China’s overall research output slowly overtake that of the US, and the lead was most striking in the field of medicine.

“China overtook the US in share of medicine-related articles in 2019, with 22 per cent of our published content in those fields, versus 19 per cent for the US. Since then, the China share has grown, and maintains around 40 per cent,” Souliere said in an interview with the Post this month.

“At Frontiers alone, 15,158 medicine articles by Chinese researchers were published in 2023, almost eight times more than … in 2019.”

“China’s rise in cancer research, particularly in oncology and immunology, gained momentum around 2010, fuelled by significant policy changes and investments in innovation,” Souliere said.

“Before 2010, China’s focus in drug development was largely on generic medications. However, by 2016, regulatory reforms like faster clinical trial reviews and partnerships with global companies began driving rapid advances in cancer research, especially in immuno-oncology and cell therapy,” she added.

“Now we have good journals in medicine, oncology and immunology and we publish a lot of good papers from China in these three.”

According to publishing database Dimensions, in 2023, the US contributed 138,120 medical publications, whereas China published 96,772 – or 70 per cent of the US total. The rate of growth has been significant: in 2019, China’s contribution of 53,948 publications was less than half that of the US.

Total global academic output in the field of oncology from 2017 to 2021 was 324,753 articles, with the US ranking first at 22 per cent and China in second place at 20 per cent, followed by Japan, Italy and Germany, according to a 2023 report from the publisher Elsevier.

The proportion of Chinese papers published in the top 10 per cent of high-impact academic journals in the field rose from 6 per cent in 2017 to 10 per cent in 2021, indicating rapid growth in both the quantity and quality of China’s academic achievements, according to Elsevier.

Souliere said government support and AI development had played equal roles in the trends from China. “First, research in this field aligns with the goal of the government. Secondly, I think there’s a lot happening in China in terms of AI research for medicine and precise treatments with immunology and different things,” she said.

In the past, AI-related academic achievements appeared mostly in computer science, engineering science, and mathematics. But the proportion of AI boosted research in medicine, molecular biology, and pharmacology has increased significantly.

AI has liberated productivity in research areas such as molecular simulation and medical imaging.

“It used to be such a huge field of research that people would dedicate 40 years to crystallising a particular molecule and building its 3D model. And now AI can make predictions on its own with humans to validate. Some fields of research are becoming a little bit obsolete with AI already,” Souliere said.

While AI has opened up new disciplines and revolutionised traditional ones, China appears to have benefited from the trend more than other countries in terms of academic growth, according to Souliere.

“We found the US and China together publish 50 per cent of all AI research in the world. In Europe, people focus more on policy and ethics. In the United States, they focus a bit more on healthcare or defence. And in China, it is really about economic growth and infrastructure. State funding plays more important roles,” she said.

While the US remains a leader in medical research, the gap between the two countries appears to be narrowing, suggesting China is becoming a formidable player in shaping the future of global healthcare.

With AI leading the transformation, China’s contribution to medical advances – particularly in cancer research and personalised treatments – could reshape how the world tackles some of the most pressing health challenges.

“It was really great to see this growth and the quality of research and papers coming out of China over the years,” Souliere said.

Pakistan’s potential Brics entry seen as benefiting China at India’s expense

https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3279471/pakistans-potential-brics-entry-seen-benefiting-china-indias-expense?utm_source=rss_feed

Russia’s backing of Pakistan’s entry into Brics has sparked a debate over India’s stance on the matter, with analysts suggesting the inclusion could enhance China’s influence within the bloc at New Delhi’s expense.

Last week, Russia said it would support Pakistan’s bid to join Brics – an intergovernmental organisation aimed at counterbalancing Western-dominated institutions – with both countries agreeing to boost trade and cultural ties.

“We are glad that Pakistan has applied … We will support this,” Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk said at a press conference in Islamabad on Wednesday following talks with Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.

Abhishek Sharma, a research assistant in the strategic studies programme at Observer Research Foundation, a Delhi-based think tank, said it was unlikely that India would support further expansion of Brics in the coming years.

“Even if the next tranche of membership happens down the line, it will be difficult for Pakistan to qualify for membership given the stringent criteria, procedures and rules that it is likely to have to qualify for,” Sharma said, adding any new Brics member should have friendly relations with all existing members or substantial trade with member states.

“India sees the current Brics as a brand that represents the concerns of the developing world and the exemplifier of the multilateral order,” he said. “With Pakistan’s inclusion, if it happens, China’s position will further consolidate, weakening India’s standing in the group. This will erode the true characteristics of Brics.”

Brics was formed in 2006 with Brazil, Russia, India and China as its founding members. South Africa joined in 2010 while Egypt, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Ethiopia were granted full membership on January 1.

In November 2023, Pakistan submitted a request to join Brics this year. If successful, China might use Pakistan’s entry to further Beijing’s interests, Sharma said.

“India started its diplomatic initiatives such as the Global South Summit and got support for its cause from Western countries like the US, Italy and Germany, and groupings like the EU and G7, unlike China,” Sharma said.

“Therefore, China sees India as a growing competitor in this space. Hence, with Pakistan’s inclusion, China will try to block India’s positions as a proponent of Global South interests,” he added.

Saheli Chattaraj, an assistant professor of Chinese studies at Somaiya Vidyavihar University, said China started the process of expanding Brics when it served as the bloc’s chair in 2022, a move supported by Russia.

“This move might have many implications. Brics as a grouping has often been a China-centric group, often primarily pursuing anti-US agendas,” Chattaraj said.

“Russia’s support for Pakistan to enter Brics means Pakistan would be a part of one of the greatest emerging economic cooperation groupings, which implies that China would also have more leverage to push its agendas within the grouping with one extra member’s support,” she added.

Russia will hold the Brics summit in Kazan from October 22 to 24. With the country holding the Brics presidency this year, Moscow would focus on furthering the bloc’s partnerships in politics and security, the economy and finance, and cultural and humanitarian ties, Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov told state news agency TASS in March.

As of 2023, the original five Brics countries represent 40 per cent of the world’s population and 31.5 per cent of global gross domestic product, surpassing the G7 nations’ 30.7 per cent share, according to a report published in March last year by the news analysis website countercurrents.org, citing data from the macroeconomic research company Acorn Macro Consulting.

Under Brics rules, leaders of the founding countries will decide on new membership applications after full consultation and consensus.

If India were to object to Pakistan’s application, it was hard to see how the rules could be circumvented, said Antoine Levesque, a Research Fellow for South and Central Asian Defence, Strategy and Diplomacy at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). The pace of Islamabad’s membership could be “slow and conditional”, Levesque told This Week in Asia.

Pakistan had an interest in seeking closer ties with Russia and China, the latter of which was already one of its top trading partners even as it sought more engagement with the US, Levesque said.

In comparison, Brics was not a high priority for India with its activities in the bloc calibrated accordingly to accommodate its goals, he added.

“India will have by now well factored into its policy planning Pakistan’s nearly year-old request for Brics admittance. Russia’s DPM Overchuk’s support to Pakistan, tempered by a clear reference to consensus, does not effectively leave India more exposed than a week ago,” he said.

A key factor that would shape India’s decision on the matter is its growing misgivings at being seen as supporting any initiatives linked to China’s interests within Brics, according to Levesque.

“It is doubtful that India would seek to wholly support an initiative pleasing Moscow, which would enhance Beijing’s standing and … placing Moscow in an increasingly junior position to Beijing,” he said.

Pakistan’s Brics membership would therefore be seen as being counterproductive and self-defeating for India, Levesque added.

More than 40 countries, including Iran, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Argentina, Algeria, Bolivia, Indonesia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Cuba, Democratic Republic of Congo, Comoros, Gabon and Kazakhstan have expressed interest in joining Brics, according to the bloc’s 2023 summit chair South Africa.

Noting the reality of Brics expansion, former Indian diplomat Anil Trigunayat said China would push for Pakistan’s inclusion, just as it has done for Islamabad’s membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

Delhi’s reaction to Pakistan’s potential inclusion depends on how Islamabad would address cross-border terrorism targeting India, according to Trigunayat.

Levesque suggested that India might sense an opportunity to allow Pakistan’s admission to Brics as a step towards rebuilding their strained ties.

Walter Ladwig, a senior international relations lecturer at King’s College London, said there was an emerging battle between India and China on the future direction of Brics, whether it should be a vehicle for advocating on behalf of the Global South or a means of pursuing anti-US agendas.

It would appear that Russia was showing less regard for Indian interests within the bloc regarding Pakistan’s potential inclusion, he said.

“Pakistan’s inclusion supported by Russia would seem to bolster China’s vision … you could not think of a better move than including Pakistan alongside India.”

1.2 million mainland Chinese visitors expected in Hong Kong for National Day ‘golden week’ break

https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3279508/12-million-mainland-chinese-visitors-expected-hong-kong-national-day-golden-week-break?utm_source=rss_feed

Hong Kong is expected to welcome as many as 1.2 million mainland Chinese visitors during the coming National Day “golden week” holiday, up 10 per cent from last year, according to the Travel Industry Council.

The council, a federation of trade associations, also predicted that the number of inbound tour groups could grow by nearly 10 per cent to 850 during the seven-day holiday that starts on October 1.

As well as the golden week boom, the coming months are peak cruise season, with the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau forecasting the year-end number of non-local passengers will surge by about 50 per cent compared with 2023.

Council chairwoman Gianna Hsu Wong Mei-lun on Sunday estimated 1.15 million to 1.2 million mainland visitors would arrive in Hong Kong during the golden week holiday, up from about 1.1 million in 2023.

She said about 30,000 of the mainland visitors could arrive via 850 tour groups, with most spending a night in the city. Last year, 780 tour groups with 26,800 visitors arrived during the break.

While Hsu acknowledged that spending patterns were changing with visitors opting more for in-depth travel, she noted: “They are still very much willing to spend and buy if they can find favourite items while visiting here.

“We will also have drone shows, discounts during festivals and with improved transport and opening of new infrastructure and bridges, we also expect more travellers from the Greater Bay Area.”

Hsu said in a radio interview that she attributed her optimism to a series of celebrative events, special deals and discounts planned by the government to lure travellers to Hong Kong and stay longer.

She also took into account that more mainland cities were now covered by the individual visit scheme.

The scheme, first introduced in 2003 in four Guangdong cities to allow their residents to visit Hong Kong in an individual capacity, has since expanded and now covers 59 mainland cities across the country.

She said she expected more visitors from long-haul markets would visit the city in the winter, which was usually the peak season for travelling in Hong Kong.

Von der Leyen strengthens EU grip, but hawkish China agenda to be tested by EV tariffs row

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3279408/von-der-leyen-strengthens-eu-grip-hawkish-china-agenda-be-tested-ev-tariffs-row?utm_source=rss_feed

In European Union circles, last week will be remembered for European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s consolidation of her position as the most powerful politician in Brussels.

She vanquished her rivals and pitted her new commissioners against each other in a grand reshaping of the bloc’s executive functions, blurring the lines of reportage and making clear she was the one who would be calling the shots.

In a deft piece of political chicanery, von der Leyen connived with French President Emmanuel Macron to switch out Thierry Breton – the Parisian commissioner who was her biggest internal critic in her first term – for the less flashy Stephane Sejourne, who will now oversee the bloc’s industrial policy.

Breton had publicly questioned von der Leyen’s leadership and continually placed himself in the limelight. But now – like others who challenged her during her first term – he finds himself in the political wilderness. The message was clear: if you come at the queen, you best not miss.

On China, von der Leyen signalled that the new commission’s term will mirror the back half of the last one. She will drive the EU de-risking plans full steam ahead, and economic security percolates through nearly every commissioner’s brief.

“Reading the letter of mission to commissioner-designate for trade and economic security Maros Sefcovic, it’s clear the Brussels wind is blowing in the same direction on economic foreign policy towards China, but with stronger gusts,” said Mathieu Duchatel, a policy analyst at the Institut Montaigne, a French think tank.

The commission is exploring ways to clamp down on Chinese e-commerce companies like Shein and Temu, while products including hydrogen electrolysers and lithium batteries are in regulators’ cross hairs as well.

Sefcovic, a staunch von der Leyen loyalist, is seen to be fonder of industrial policy and protectionist measures than his predecessor Valdis Dombrovskis. During the last commission, he was often closer to Breton’s dirigiste approach of state-led controls than Dombrovskis’ liberalism.

But all these plans require following through on von der Leyen’s pledge to impose punitive tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles.

In Brussels, as tensions over its biggest bilateral trade dispute in a decade continue to soar, a failure to win passage for duties of up to 35.3 per cent would cast a shadow over von der Leyen’s entire de-risking agenda.

On this front, last week may also have served a reminder of the difference between real versus imagined power.

While von der Leyen was plotting in Strasbourg, Beijing was putting the squeeze on important member states and her own officials in an effort to block those EV tariffs.

The leaders of Spain and Germany publicly came out against the measures, as China turned the screw with a combination of carrots and sticks. Commerce Minister Wang Wentao went to Rome, Berlin and Brussels in what insiders framed as an effort to “geopolitically crush” the EU ahead of the US elections in November, potentially pressuring Europe’s ability to credibly coordinate with the US on China policy.

The commission is under intense pressure from some European capitals to avoid a trade war by cutting a deal with Beijing. Meanwhile, China is trying to convince member states to vote against the duties in a coming vote – an effort gaining momentum, even if it looks unlikely to succeed.

“The main message … is that it is important to avoid a clash, a trade war,” the bloc’s new competition commissioner, Teresa Ribera of Spain, told the Financial Times, in language that mirrored that of Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez a week earlier.

The duties proposed by the commission are much lower than those Chinese EV makers face in the United States and Canada, where governments plan 100 per cent tariffs, and it is suspected that the European market would still remain lucrative to those firms even with the extra costs incurred.

In this light, sources say, Beijing’s move is seen as a political power play and an attempt to dilute EU credibility on the global stage.

This would be pertinent if former US president Donald Trump wins a return to the White House in November and Brussels offers, for example, to work with him on China to secure his support on Ukraine.

“If we don’t pull this off, then the rest of the agenda for China is going to be very, very difficult,” Bart Groothuis, a Dutch member of the European Parliament’s committees for trade and industry, said.

“So EVs are of the utmost importance, and this is not something that Germany and Spain can dictate to the rest of Europe,” he added.

In business associations that officially opposed the EV duties, some now see the duties as crucial to ensuring the EU does not become a laughing stock as its industrial decline has already become a punch line.

“So much for strategic autonomy,” said one association official, noting how quickly Spain and Germany gave up EU unity when China came knocking. “We are showing that when it comes to the crunch, we are actually just chicken.”

Talks on Thursday about the EV tariffs between Dombrovskis and Chinese Commerce Minister Wang were seen by Brussels as genuinely constructive, and may keep the wolf from the door for a week or two.

The sides agreed to keep negotiating, with the commission opening the door to a deal that would require setting a minimum price on Chinese EV imports.

Even so, this would be a complicated deal to put together. To comply with World Trade Organization rules, it must be made purely at a company level with no hint of government involvement – a tricky request when some of the biggest players are state-owned and when Beijing is publicly advocating for the arrangement.

EU bureaucrats privately doubt that a deal is possible, but hope the olive branch to Beijing will buy enough time to put the tariffs in place and establish a position of strength to negotiate from going forward.

The clock is ticking: tariffs must be imposed by October 30, and the key vote of EU capitals will happen well in advance of that.

Whether Brussels or Beijing triumphs in this race against time will help determine the success of von der Leyen’s China policy in her second five-year term.

US prepares to ban Chinese, Russian software in connected vehicles over security fears

https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3279490/us-prepares-ban-chinese-russian-software-connected-vehicles-over-security-fears?utm_source=rss_feed

The US Commerce Department is planning to reveal proposed rules that would ban Chinese- and Russian-made hardware and software for connected vehicles as soon as Monday, said people familiar with the matter.

Commerce has been meeting with industry experts in recent months looking to address security concerns raised by a new generation of so-called smart cars. The move would include bans on use and testing of Chinese and Russian technology for automated driving systems and vehicle communications systems, the people said. While the bans mostly focus on software, the proposed rules will include some hardware, they said.

Many of today’s cars – both gas and electric – are equipped with devices connecting them to the internet or cloud services, making them potential targets for hacking. The pending restrictions stem from an investigation of cybersecurity risks from Chinese vehicle software that President Joe Biden launched in March.

The Biden administration’s primary concern is preventing China or Russia from hacking vehicles or tracking cars by intercepting communication with software systems that their domestic companies have created. The rules would also have a protectionist element since most new cars are connected at least through infotainment systems, so Chinese carmakers could be barred from selling in the US if the vehicles use their connected technology.

In May, the administration levied a 100 per cent tariff on Chinese electric vehicles, pointing out its government is subsidising its auto industry and increasingly exporting its excess capacity at a time when US companies are building more battery-powered cars.

The Commerce Department declined to comment.

Lael Brainard, director of the White House’s National Economic Council, is set to speak on Monday in Detroit about the Biden administration’s efforts to “strengthen the US auto industry”.

China has emerged as a leader in electric vehicles and components for smart cars, in part because of widespread government subsidies and support.

BYD Co. sold more fully electric vehicles than Tesla Inc. in the fourth quarter of last year, and global carmakers have become increasingly dependent on Chinese suppliers for technology needed for connected vehicles. For its part, China has said it respects data privacy and the security of its foreign customers and the principles of fair competition.

The new restrictions would be enforced by the Commerce Department to prevent Chinese companies from collecting data on US drivers, especially individuals, and sending it back to China. The rules would also effectively keep Chinese suppliers from establishing a bigger foothold in the US, giving the American auto industry time to build its own supply chain for connected vehicles.

The Commerce proposal includes different phase-in periods for the various affected software and components, people familiar with the proposal said.

Officials aim to enact a final rule in January 2025, the people said, following a 30-day comment period on the proposal.

Reuters first reported the outlines of the proposal earlier on Saturday.

In addition to driver assist and autonomous vehicle systems, as well as software that tracks vehicles by using mapping and satellite location, the rules would govern hardware for vehicle communication systems. That could include things like the so-called V2X systems, which cars use to communicate with road infrastructure, other equipped vehicles and the cloud.

From da Vinci to George Lucas, the myth and allure of China’s Dunhuang endures

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3279451/da-vinci-george-lucas-myth-and-allure-chinas-dunhuang-endures?utm_source=rss_feed

The ancient city of Dunhuang, which for centuries welcomed Western merchants travelling along the legendary silk road to China, could be a “perfect platform” to improve China-US relations, according to an American research professor.

Neil Schmid is the first and only Western scholar hired by the Dunhuang Academy in northwest China’s Gansu province to study the nearby Mogao Caves, also called the Thousand Buddha Grottoes. He is convinced the site’s past provides a basis for modern cultural exchanges.

While the caves – the oldest of which date to AD366 – are celebrated for their invaluable insights into the history of Buddhism, they also feature artwork and texts from Confucian, Taoist, Christian and Hebrew traditions.

The diversity of the artefacts reflect Dunhuang’s status from the 2nd century until its decline in the 11th century as a melting pot of ideas, religions and art.

In the countless hours Schmid has spent in the caves since joining the academy in 2018, he has been struck by the diversity of religions and cultures represented in their many artistic layers. “And it is not one culture or religion that dominates,” he said.

Dunhuang could be “a bridge between China and the US” with its traces of Christianity, according to Schmid. “I think when Westerners hear that, it piques their curiosity, and they’re like, oh, this is really interesting and maybe it is not so foreign.”

In the coming months, Schmid and colleagues at the academy will provide Dunhuang content for a museum owned by filmmaker George Lucas – creator of the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises – to showcase the beauty of the Unesco World Heritage site.

“Lucas is somebody who recognises the value of Dunhuang,” Schmid said.

Their cooperation will include creating a replica cave of one of the Mogao grottoes at the Lucas museum.

The finished project will be displayed at the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art – founded by the filmmaker and his wife Mellody Hobson, who chairs the Starbucks Corporation – which is scheduled to open in Los Angeles in 2025.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the Dunhuang Academy, which was established in 1944 and is responsible for managing the site as well as supporting research into the caves and their history.

Schmid was startled during one of his recent cave explorations when his flashlight came across something “strangely familiar”. He had discovered a painting that closely resembles Leonardo da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi, which dates to around 1500.

Despite predating the Renaissance depiction of Christ as “saviour of the world” by 500 years, the “Dunhuang da Vinci” uses the same iconography.

The figure in the Dunhuang painting also has a raised right hand, with two fingers visible to signify blessings and protection, while the left hand is holding an orb. But instead of the Christ, it has the head of a camel.

This “fascinating and incongruous” find is another example of how the arts of Dunhuang are “so multicultural they can transcend time and space”.

Schmid, who graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a doctorate in East Asian languages and civilisations, has no plans to give up his life of solitude and scholarship in the desert.

Even the isolation he endured throughout China’s zero-Covid response to the pandemic – which many foreigners found unbearable – did not deter Schmid, who admits that Dunhuang continues to fascinate him and would be hard to let go.

Schmid, who also studied ancient Chinese civilisations in Japan and France, first came to mainland China in 1984 and has witnessed the many ups and downs in bilateral ties between Beijing and Washington.

He is convinced that increased cultural exchanges between China and the US are “more necessary than ever” during the current low point in the relationship and finds it “hugely disappointing” that so few Americans are studying in the country.

According to Schmid, many are dissuaded by the largely negative presentation of China by Western media outlets. “And we have to change this. Even if you vehemently disagree with China, you need to understand it,” he said.

Despite the challenging geopolitical climate, Schmid is convinced that Dunhuang has its own appeal to Westerners. He plans to use Instagram to showcase his scholarship and life amid Dunhuang’s artefacts.

Dunhuang, with its complex and multilayered beauty, is like a “massive data set” where one can ask new questions and develop a new hypothesis, according to Schmid.

“If you can speak to people on their own terms or get them to realise that there’s something shared, some aspect of shared humanity, then they become much more open,” he said.

“You see that when you’re in the caves … their ability to incite curiosity [and] beauty and creativity transcends culture.”

Schmid traces his interest in Dunhuang to his first visit to Taiwan in 1983, when he visited Caves Books – a well-known bookshop, named after the Mogao Caves, that was established by James and Lucy Lo, a couple who visited Dunhuang in the 1940s.

He recalled pulling a book about the city from one of the shelves and being impressed by the historical and Buddhist stories it contained. Most of all, he was amazed by the erudition of the footnotes.

In the summer of 1987, Schmid was at the airport in Hong Kong when he saw someone holding a sign for Victor Mair – the University of Pennsylvania sinologist whose translation and footnotes had so impressed him years earlier.

Schmid waited with the greeter for the professor, who was attending an international conference in the city. He went on to study Dunhuang and ancient civilisations with Mair at the University of Pennsylvania.

“So it’s all these remarkable connections. And I never thought in 1987 that one day I would be working in Dunhuang,” Schmid said.

Chinese national jailed for stealing credit card from passenger on Malaysia-Singapore flight

https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3279479/chinese-national-jailed-stealing-credit-card-passenger-malaysia-singapore-flight?utm_source=rss_feed

A 30-year-old man was sentenced to seven months’ jail after he stole a credit card belonging to another passenger while on a flight to Singapore, police said in a news release on Friday.

Jiang Yangbo, a Chinese national, was a passenger on board AirAsia flight AK719 departing Kuala Lumpur on May 16 when he removed a fellow passenger’s blue laptop bag from the overhead compartment.

The victim, Jin Chengjie, a 36-year-old Chinese national working in Singapore, was seated one row in front of him.

Placing the bag on his lap, Jiang rummaged through it, took Jin’s Citibank credit card and put it into his right rear pocket, court documents show.

He then returned the laptop bag to the overhead compartment and went to the bathroom, before returning to his seat.

However, another passenger seated on the same row as Jiang saw what happened, and noticed after the plane landed at Changi Airport that Jiang had only a black sling bag with him.

Upon realising the laptop bag belonged to Jin, the passenger told him that he saw Jiang taking something from the bag. The victim soon realised his card was missing and quickly cancelled the card.

Jiang, who was waiting to disembark nearby at the aisle, noticed the exchange and tossed the credit card into the overhead compartment to avoid being caught.

The card was later found by another passenger, and investigations showed that the card was not misused.

At the airport, the victim and witness approached an auxiliary police officer, who arrested Jiang. He was convicted and sentenced last Friday.

“The police have zero tolerance against acts of theft on board an aircraft and will spare no effort to apprehend such offenders, who will be dealt with sternly in accordance with the law,” said the Singapore Police Force (SPF).

The police advised members of the public to protect themselves from being victims of crime on planes by always keeping their valuables with them instead of placing them in the overhead luggage compartments.

They should also be wary for passengers who are seen opening the overhead compartment, retrieving baggage and rummaging through them during a flight. Cabin crew should be alerted immediately of any suspicious behaviour, police added.

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China high-pay women chauffeur service to transport drunk bosses raises safety concerns

https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3279159/china-high-pay-women-chauffeur-service-transport-drunk-bosses-raises-safety-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed

A service in southern China offering designated drivers for intoxicated patrons is facing severe criticism for its policy of exclusively recruiting female chauffeurs, which has raised safety concerns for these drivers.

The Guangdong-based company Tiane Jiadao, founded last year, launched an advertising campaign at a Guangzhou subway station promoting its services with the claim that “female drivers drive more carefully”.

The advertisement specified that the company was seeking female drivers aged 22 to 45 who had held Class C light motor vehicle driver’s licences for at least two years.

The advertisement offered its drivers an annual salary of 300,000 yuan (US$42,000), nearly tripling the average annual salary in Guangdong province, which was 109,200 yuan in 2023-24.

However, the company’s female chauffeur policy has raised safety concerns as it promised to deliver service “as good as a flight attendant”.

A company spokesperson, identified as Kang, told the Chinese media outlet eastday.com that most orders they received were from “drunk bosses”.

In June, a chat app screenshot circulated online suggesting that the company was providing sexual services.

The company denied the rumour and stated they had reported the insinuations to the police. It also assured that all its rides are recorded with in-car audio and GPS to ensure the drivers’ safety.

Several female drivers on the platform complained on Douyin, the mainland version of TikTok, that male customers had sexually harassed them. Kang did not respond to inquiries regarding these complaints.

Kang mentioned that drivers could earn the advertised salary if they worked full-time and engaged in additional promotional activities, such as “wearing their uniforms and distributing business cards in busy areas from 6pm to 2am.”

Tiane Jiadao operates as a WeChat mini-programme, and the Post found that it charges 58 yuan (US$8.2) for the first three kilometres of a ride between 6am and 11pm. This rate is higher than that of one of China’s largest designated driving service companies, eDaijia, which charges about 40 yuan (US$5.6) for the first 10 kilomtres.

On social media, many users voiced their concerns about the service, questioning its ability to protect the drivers.

One online observer stated: “The company claimed its female drivers were well-protected, but the drivers told a different story.”

Another criticised the company, asserting it was implicitly promoting female drivers as a sexual resource rather than as professional drivers.

“The company’s decision to emphasise the phrase “drunk bosses” appears to be a stunt that seeks to mislead people. It may boost their business in the short term, but it harms the image of women in the long run,” the individual commented on Weibo.

China ‘testing us’ across the region, Biden tells leaders at Quad summit

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/sep/22/china-testing-us-across-the-region-biden-tells-leaders-at-quad-summit

Joe Biden has been recorded on a hot mic telling the leaders of Australia, India and Japan that an aggressive China is “testing us”, in remarks at a Quad summit that risked undercutting the group’s declaration that carefully avoided referring to Beijing by name.

The comments came as Biden opened a farewell summit in his home town of Wilmington, Delaware, with Indian prime minister Narendra Modi, Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida and Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese.

“China continues to behave aggressively, testing us all across the region, and it’s true in the South China Sea, the East China Sea, South China, South Asia and the Taiwan Straits,” Biden was heard in what were supposed to be behind-closed-doors remarks to the Quad grouping of four countries.

Biden said that while Chinese president Xi Jinping was focusing on “domestic economic challenges”, he was also “looking to buy himself some diplomatic space, in my view, to aggressively pursue China’s interest”.

But he insisted that recent “intense efforts” by Washington to reduce tensions, including a call with Xi in April, were helping to prevent conflict.

The comments risked undermining careful diplomatic efforts by all four countries during the summit to insist that their grouping is about more than just providing a counterweight to China.

In their joint statement after the summit, the four leaders made no direct mention of China, even as they expressed concern about tensions on its borders. “We are seriously concerned about the situation in the East and South China Seas,” their declaration said.

The leaders also condemned “coercive and intimidating manoeuvres” in the South China Sea – where China has been at odds with the Philippines and other nations over its maritime claims – but without saying whose manoeuvres.

Disputed islands in the East China Sea have meanwhile long been a source of tensions between Japan and China.

Instead the leaders used veiled statements, as they have on previous occasions, about keeping the region “free and open” and talking about geopolitical “challenges”.

The other shadow hanging over the summit was November’s US presidential election, with the isolationist former president Donald Trump in a tight race against Biden’s political heir, Kamala Harris.

Biden insisted that the group would survive whatever the political situation. “While challenges will come, the world will change because the Quad is here to stay,” Biden told the leaders in his public remarks before journalists were ushered out.

Asked by reporters if the Quad would make it past the 5 November election, Biden replied: “Way beyond November. Way beyond November.”

India’s Modi made a similar pledge – in a commitment that will be welcomed by Washington, Canberra and Tokyo as they court the historically non-aligned New Delhi. “Our message is, the Quad is here to stay,” said Modi, who is due to host next year’s Quad summit in India.

Biden, who bowed out of the US presidential election in July after concerns about his age, filled his farewell summit with personal touches.

The four-way summit took place at his former high school in Wilmington and he earlier opened up his home in the city for private, one-on-one talks with each of the leaders. “I am really pleased that you were able to be in my home and see where I grew up,” he said.

The leaders also announced investment into fighting cervical cancer for Biden’s Cancer Moonshot initiative – again a deeply person project after his eldest son Beau died of brain cancer.

The media were given no access to the private meetings at Biden’s home.

Biden posted pictures on social media of him with Albanese and then with Kishida in a wood-panelled drawing room in his house, and showing them the view of a lake from a veranda.

The White House said the summit reflected the way Biden prioritised international alliances.

There are growing questions about what would happen if Trump – who has threatened to pull the US out of groups such as Nato while praising the leaders of Russia and North Korea – returned to the Oval Office.

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China’s education spending remains resolute despite harsh lesson of economic woes

https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3279334/chinas-education-spending-remains-resolute-despite-harsh-lesson-economic-woes?utm_source=rss_feed

When Wendy Xiao was told she would have to take a nearly 20 per cent pay cut earlier this month, her immediate thought was to make a list of non-essential items.

As a middle-level manager of a Guangzhou-based state-owned enterprise, she had to come to terms with the fact she might not be able to buy her beloved vintage clothes, Japanese ceramic tableware, or afford her trip to Central Europe planned for early next year.

“This pay cut cycle could last two to three years,” she lamented.

“The state-owned enterprise system has seen an overall decline in pay, and it is not a financial problem that can be solved by a single company.”

The only expense she refused to cut was the close to 100,000 yuan (US$14,00) a year spending on education, including tutoring fees, for her 16-year-old son.

And Xiao is not alone, as more Chinese middle-class are sticking to their investments in education despite cutting their spending amid the ongoing economic uncertainties.

According to a survey released late last month by education start-up Guyu Education, while 55.1 per cent of affluent Chinese middle-class families cut their spending in the past year, 75 per cent reported their expenditure on education remained unchanged or even increased.

The survey of 523 respondents represented the widely recognised middle class standard, with around two thirds earning an annual income of between 200,000 yuan and 1 million yuan, with just over 45 per cent of the interviewees from Shanghai and Beijing.

“Property and stock market investments can be put on hold, but investment in education is a must and cannot be compromised – this sentiment is especially evident among middle-class parents,” said Guyu Education founder Xia Jing.

“The enrolment rate in tutoring and extracurricular classes remains high.

“Despite a generally pessimistic view of the economic situation, parents are still willing to invest heavily in their children’s education, hoping to secure good future opportunities for their children through high-quality education.”

Compared to education, the survey showed that 64.8 per cent of respondents chose to reduce spending on big-ticket items, such as cars and electronics, while 58.1 per cent decided to reduce daily living expenses and 55.3 per cent chose to cut their spending on travel and holidays.

According to a report on China’s 2024 consumer trends published by global management consulting firm McKinsey in July, consumers are willing to enrol in more tutoring or courses, and seek more diversified, interesting, and high-quality educational services.

Some 53 per cent of respondents said they would increase spending on education, while only 9 per cent said they would decrease spending.

Guyu’s survey showed that over the past academic year, 54.6 per cent of households spent more than 100,000 yuan on education, while only 14 per cent of families reported spending less than 30,000 yuan.

A People’s Bank of China survey of urban depositors showed that the average propensity to consume in 2023 had declined by 4 percentage points from 2019, while the propensity to save and deposit had increased by 15 percentage points during the same period, according to a report released in July by Rhodium Group.

How 5 international brands are charting growth in China despite miserly consumers

https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3279323/how-5-international-brands-are-charting-growth-china-despite-miserly-consumers?utm_source=rss_feed

Slowing consumption in China and fierce competition from domestic rivals have weighed on the performance of many international consumer brands. And yet a select few, including Lululemon, Adidas, and Ralph Lauren, have managed to outperform their peers and post strong revenue growth in recent months.

A key factor driving their success may be a growing polarisation of consumer preferences. Budget-conscious shoppers are seeking greater value for their money, while higher-income consumers continue to splurge on premium products for the experience and a sense of identity.

This divide has helped both luxury brands and those offering budget-friendly options to deliver solid performances in the China market.

A polarisation of spending has also been observed in the food and beverage and retail industries, where businesses adopting localised strategies and catering to the preferences of Chinese consumers are outperforming their peers.

Here are a few notable examples of brands that are bucking the country’s sluggish consumer spending – and how they are doing it.

Canadian outdoor apparel maker Arc’teryx has shown strong growth momentum in the China market, boosting the performance of its Finnish parent company, Amer Sports. The group, backed by Chinese sports conglomerate Anta Sports, reported a 54 per cent year-on-year increase in revenue in the second quarter in its greater China market, its fastest-growing region.

“Given its largest shareholder is a Chinese company, Arc’teryx possesses an [unrivalled] understanding of Chinese consumers, helping the company develop effective localised marketing strategies,” said Ivan Su, a senior equity analyst at Morningstar. “Arc’teryx is also the only luxury sportswear brand that has a real presence in China, with multiple flagship stores.”

Speaking on an August earnings call, Amer Sports CEO James Zheng attributed the group’s success to its focus on the premium sports and outdoor markets, which he described as the “healthiest and fastest-growing consumer segments in China.”

Zheng’s remarks help explain the success of many other premium brands: Lululemon and Descente, along with smaller brands like Hoka and On, have all experienced revenue growth in China on the back of rising demand for premium activewear and lifestyle products.

Positioned as a higher-end brand in China than it is in Europe and North America, the German sportswear maker’s mainland revenue for the first half of this year rose 9 per cent year on year, driven by “double-digit growth” in several performance categories including football, outdoor and golf, the company said in its earnings report.

With China now being its most profitable market, the group also reported a rise in lifestyle revenues, thanks to “double-digit” growth in Adidas Originals – a collection featuring casual sportswear and footwear, including the popular Samba OG Shoes.

Despite competition from domestic brands and manufacturer-turned-retailers that are rapidly gaining market share, Adidas has managed to improve its business model and stay competitive in China, CEO Bjørn Gulden said in a July earnings call.

Moving forward, the company will adopt a more country-by-country approach, focusing less on sell-in strategies and more on responding to in-season demand, both within its own stores and in collaboration with retail partners, Gulden added.

New York-based luxury fashion brand Ralph Lauren, embraced by Chinese middle-class consumers for its “old money” aesthetic, is maintaining strong growth in the country. Sales increased by “low double-digits” in the first quarter of fiscal 2025 thanks to “exceptionally strong” comparable-store sales growth of more than 50 per cent compared with the same quarter last year, CEO Patrice Louvet said in an earnings call in August.

The company reported that its sales during China’s massive 618 online shopping festival “significantly outperformed” the market on the back of normalising consumer trends, and reaffirmed its outlook of “low teens” China growth this year.

“We’re closely watching the risk of potential additional China tariffs along with the rest of the industry,” said Louvet, emphasising that the company has built resilience through strategic diversification into other supply markets over the years while developing its near-shoring capabilities.

“[Ralph Lauren’s] China sales have doubled since before the pandemic, and it now accounts for about 7 per cent of total sales, compared to 3 per cent before the pandemic,” said David Swartz, a senior equity analyst at Morningstar.

Ralph Lauren has huge upside in China, given its small size in the country, he added.

Walmart’s membership warehouse club, which offers a range of products from groceries to skincare items, reported “double-digit” sales growth in China in the second quarter, with half of those sales coming from digital platforms, the company said.

Aside from curating high-end products that appeal to China’s growing middle class, the company is also building success by building out e-commerce capabilities to cater to a nation of shoppers accustomed to having their groceries delivered.

The membership warehouse, which now operates close to 50 stores across China, has been investing heavily in its self-operated Sam’s Club app and reaching customers through partnerships with e-commerce giants such as JD.com.

Sam’s Club parent Walmart reported a 104 per cent year-on-year increase in net e-commerce sales in China in the second quarter, on the back of 17.7 per cent growth in net sales.

The retail giant’s e-commerce orders delivered within one hour also rose by 28 per cent to 59 million orders, Walmart CFO John David Rainey said in an August earnings call.

Yum China, the fast-food giant behind KFC and Pizza Hut, delivered strong results in the second quarter, reporting 4 per cent revenue growth despite a decline in same-store sales growth at the company level. A strategic focus on rapid store expansion in lower-tier markets, where increased foot traffic helped to cushion a decline in average spending, bolstered the group’s performance.

Total store count reached 15,423 as of June 30, including 10,931 KFCs and 3,504 Pizza Huts. The two brands both expanded by 14 per cent year-on-year in the second quarter, with KFC reporting a 2 per cent year-on-year increase in total revenue, while Pizza Hut’s slid 2 per cent.

Emphasising the “resilience” and rapid consumption recovery in lower-tier markets, the group’s management pledged to add 1,500 to 1,700 net new stores in fiscal 2024. They also plan to expand budget store models, including KCoffee and Pizza Hut Wow, across the country to target value-conscious consumers, and to boost same-store sales while driving incremental profit.

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Lululemon, Arc’teryx lead niche apparel brands defying China’s spending downturn

https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3279319/lululemon-arcteryx-lead-niche-apparel-brands-defying-chinas-spending-downturn?utm_source=rss_feed

A bestselling pair of Lululemon yoga pants costs nearly 1,000 yuan (US$141) in China – three to six times more than similar products from local brands. Yet, the Canadian activewear company stands out as a bright spot in China’s sluggish consumer market, posting strong mainland sales in its latest earnings.

Lululemon’s performance is uncommon but not unique. While many international brands struggle in China amid a downturn in consumer spending and stiff local competition, a select few premium brands have bucked the trend with solid gains in the world’s second-largest economy.

“[Chinese] consumers with real spending power still have a strong demand for products that are high-end, experiential and relatively niche,” said Richard Lin, chief consumer analyst at SPDB International, who stressed that all three criteria have to be met.

Lululemon Athletica, which recorded a 34 per cent year-on-year rise in net revenue in China in the second quarter, sells more than just pricey apparel. It also sells a lifestyle of personal development and fitness. For example, it hosts community events like yoga sessions with local instructors and it partners with inspiring ambassadors – the latest being actor Jia Ling, who shed 50 kilograms for her role in hit boxing film Yolo.

The brand “takes a very localised approach” that is “grounded in wellness” in the mainland China market, CEO Calvin McDonald said on an earnings call in August.

The approach has paid off. Lululemon’s growth in China helped offset its flat North American business as the company reported a 7 per cent rise in net revenue in the three months ended June.

“Lululemon is opening more stores in China than anywhere else in the world,” said David Swartz, senior equity analyst at Morningstar. “It’s a major driver of growth.”

Current economic headwinds do not seem to be affecting the brand, which is positioned as near-luxury in China, he added.

The trend is evident across the mainland activewear market, where premium international brands are growing faster than mass-market offerings like Nike.

“To middle-class and affluent consumers, premium brands offer more than just functionality,” said SPDB International’s Lin. “They serve as status symbols. For instance, some people think that wearing high-end brands like Lululemon to the gym enhances the experience, adding a sense of ritual. This is reminiscent of how high-income consumers sought recognition by purchasing Starbucks a decade ago.”

Arc’teryx, a maker of premium outdoor apparel, has also risen in popularity in recent years owing in part to this trend.

Its Finland-based parent company Amer Sports, which is backed by China’s biggest sportswear maker Anta, recorded 54 per cent year-on-year growth in revenue in the second quarter in its greater China market, led by Arc’teryx.

In an August earnings call, Amer Sports’ CEO James Zheng attributed the group’s success in China to its ability to compete “in one of the healthiest and fastest-growing consumer segments: the premium sports and outdoor market”.

“The outdoor trend in China is very strong,” he said. “Even beyond the traditional male consumer, the outdoor category is attracting younger consumers [and] female consumers, and we also see more luxury shoppers spending in our categories.”

Another key to winning the hearts of Chinese consumers may lie in a brand’s ability to align with their personal goals and values.

“Premium sportswear brands now fulfil the personal aspirations and values of today’s middle-class consumers,” said Jason Yu, greater China managing director of market research firm Kantar Worldpanel. “Tech-savvy urban shoppers are also seeking a more refined exercise experience and a subtle sense of identity that brands like Lululemon can provide.”

Smaller premium sports brands like Deckers’ Hoka and Zurich-headquartered On are similarly seeing rising sales in China.

“It’s not a complete consumption downgrade, as premium brands continue to sell well,” said Ivan Su, senior equity analyst at Morningstar. “[Rather,] the market is experiencing a polarisation of spending.”

“Niche, expensive, and high-end brands allow buyers to differentiate themselves in terms of identity from others,” said SPDB International’s Lin. “To replicate this success, brands must offer exceptional quality, innovative functionality, strong brand value, a premium market positioning and high pricing.”

A four-level museum-store that Arc’teryx opened on a central shopping street in Shanghai earlier this year has been very successful, Stuart Haselden, CEO of Arc’teryx, said on the Amer Sports earnings call.

The company, which also owns the growing high-end footwear brand Salomon, is seeing “more luxury shoppers” in the mainland market, Zheng said. Growth in the region is not slowing down, he added.

Why learning to love China isn’t like any other school subject

https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3279175/why-learning-love-china-isnt-any-other-school-subject?utm_source=rss_feed

Patriotic education has become a top political priority in Hong Kong in the wake of years of social unrest, yet this emphasis is nothing new. Tung Chee-hwa, the city’s first chief executive, was a strong supporter of integrating Chinese values into young people’s education.

Tung’s successor, Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, and his administration developed Hong Kong’s first attempt at national education in the form of a new school subject, moral and national education. This initiative continued to face strong community pressure through the beginning of Leung Chun-ying’s tenure as chief executive.

Leung eventually shelved the national education guidelines in October 2012, though he stopped short of withdrawing the subject entirely. It remained as a curriculum option for schools that wished to use it. The post-2019 emphasis on patriotic education, therefore, is best seen as the most recent attempt under Chinese sovereignty.

Bolstered by the passage of multiple national security laws, the Basic Law and National Security Law Test for teachers and compulsory national security education courses in the city’s universities, the current initiative should have a better chance of success.

In addition, the National People’s Congress Standing Committee passed a patriotic education law in October 2023. The law will not be included in Annex III of the Basic Law, a process which signals a national law will be applied in Hong Kong. Even so, the city’s government discussing the law makes it clear the legislation will exert significant influence here.

While the historic and legal contexts for patriotic education provide a background for understanding its current status, the issue for schools is of a different nature. How should patriotic education be implemented as part of the day-to-day requirements of the school curriculum?

Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki made his views clear earlier this year when he highlighted “soft tactics” in place of rote learning. “The ultimate goal is to enhance people’s identification with country, let them feel proud of the country and then consciously love and protect the country,” he said. Achieving such an objective will be a challenge for educators.

The chief secretary’s approach, which is most likely the view of the government’s Working Group on Patriotic Education, is reflected in the central government’s patriotic education law itself. In addition to a strong dose of socialist philosophy and history, Article 6 of the law also refers to “the exceptional culture of the Chinese people”, “national symbols and signs such as the national flag, anthem and emblem”, “the majestic landscape and historical and cultural heritage of the motherland” and “other content that is rich in patriotic spirit”.

For Chan, this translated into films, sports events and exhibitions of national aerospace technologies to help inspire patriotic sentiment. In other words, both the law and Hong Kong authorities highlight the importance of experiential learning and direct experience. This would be considered by some as an innovative approach to learning.

However, this approach runs contrary to the way many schools and students view learning memorisation as the pathway to deep understanding. Therefore, experiential learning, while preferable to rote learning, raises several issues for educators and their students.

The first is whether teachers have been adequately prepared. Experiential education is a different approach to classroom learning compared to traditional methods. Teachers need to understand its main principles and use them with skill.

Patriotic education is not like teaching mathematics or language – outcomes are not as clear or agreed-upon, content is variable and managing it is challenging. If teachers do not feel competent to teach experientially and receive little support to do so, there is a danger they might revert to rote learning approaches.

Experiential learning is not a soft option but involves detailed planning. For example, if students are taking a trip to the mainland – a popular form of experiential learning – their Mandarin proficiency is an issue. Ethnic minority students have reported they have to rely on classmates to tell them what is happening during activities and what needs to be done to complete assignments. This can be a serious impediment to their learning.

The second issue is assessment. How can students’ learning progress be monitored in experiential contexts? One approach that recently drew media attention involved education authorities criticising schools for their students singing the national anthem too softly. Is loudly singing the national anthem an expected outcome of patriotic education? Such outcomes, whatever they are, must be explicit and public.

Chan’s statements above make clear the government’s view. At the school level, however, clear statements are needed about what students are expected to learn and when they are expected to learn it. This is a common practice for other school subjects.

Patriotic education can take many different forms but is a priority for all countries. Governments tend to support promoting love of country as a key social objective out of desire for social cohesion and unity. The two key issues in all contexts are how this should be done and which results are desired.

Learning patriotism is learning of the heart rather than of the mind. It has neither the logic of mathematics nor the precision associated with learning to write Chinese characters.

Yet as a curriculum priority the way it is taught needs to be well-understood and practised with skill, and its expected outcomes need to be clearly specified. Without these, the success of current initiatives could be as at risk as earlier attempts at patriotic education in Hong Kong.

Taiwan looks to plug border holes after 2 landings by mainland Chinese men in small boats

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3279376/taiwan-looks-plug-border-holes-after-two-landings-mainland-men-small-boats?utm_source=rss_feed

Taiwan is intensifying efforts to prevent maritime borders being breached after mainland Chinese men used small boats to land on its coast twice in recent months.

Lawmakers have pointed to the two incidents – neither spotted by Taipei until the men turned themselves in – as representing possible weaknesses in the event of a military attack from the mainland.

According to the Taiwanese coastguard, boats managed to sail managed to sail undetected into waters near the capital Taipei.

One of the mainland men on board claimed he had a military background and the other said he was a member of the Communist Party.

The 30-year-old self-proclaimed party member, identified by his surname Wang, was arrested by the Taiwanese coastguard after calling the island’s emergency hotline on September 14 as his inflatable dinghy neared the shore at Linkou, south of Taipei.

Coastguard officials said Wang, who was severely dehydrated, was treated in hospital before being handed over to prosecutors and accused of illegal entry.

“The mainland citizen said he was in debt and hoped to start a new life in Taiwan,” coastguard officer Hung Shih-jung told reporters on September 14, adding that Wang was kept incommunicado by prosecutors.

The coastguard later admitted that the rubber dinghy went undetected by radar because of its small size and slow speed.

Wang reportedly boarded the motorboat in Ningbo, in the coastal mainland province of Zhejiang on September 9, and sailed for five days before approaching Linkou district in New Taipei.

It was the second time this year that a mainland Chinese boat had successfully sailed undetected into waters near Taipei, home to Taiwan’s political and financial centres.

In June, the coastguard arrested a 60-year-old man, identified by his last name Ruan, after he sailed his speedboat directly to a ferry pier on the Tamsui River in New Taipei City.

Ruan, who said he was a former mainland Chinese navy captain, had left Ningde port in the Taiwan-facing Fujian province on June 9, and was apprehended the following day after locals reported his illegal entry.

Ruan said he had been persecuted by mainland authorities for “making improper statements”, and sought asylum in Taiwan.

Mainland authorities have not commented on the incidents.

Following a three-month investigation, a Taipei court sentenced Ruan to eight months in prison for illegal entry. He is expected to be deported to the mainland after serving his sentence in Taiwan.

Taiwanese laws no longer encourage mainland nationals to cross over to the island and instead treat their stealthy entry as illegal.

The incident involving Wang on September 14 has raised fresh concerns about serious security lapses, particularly as both illegal entries occurred near Taipei.

Lin Szu-ming, a lawmaker from the opposition Kuomintang (KMT), criticised Kuan Bi-ling, head of the Ocean Affairs Council, for failing to “propose concrete measures to secure Taiwan’s coastline” after the June incident.

Kuan responded by highlighting steps already taken to improve maritime border control, including increased patrols and plans to install more advanced surveillance equipment, such as infrared thermal imaging to enhance radar detection of illegal activity near the shore.

On Monday, Taiwanese Premier Cho Jung-tai ordered a thorough review of both incidents, emphasising that the coastguard and military must fulfil their responsibilities to ensure the island’s security.

Tsai Yi-yu, a lawmaker from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), acknowledged that the “length of Taiwan’s coastline makes it difficult to rely solely on coastguard patrols”. He suggested increasing the coastguard’s budget to acquire near-coast monitoring technologies.

Analysts say the incidents highlight vulnerabilities in Taiwan’s coastal defence, particularly in northern areas such as Tamsui and Linkou.

Tamsui is less than 10 minutes from Taipei by boat, while Linkou is one of 14 “red beaches” identified as potential entry points for People’s Liberation Army (PLA) forces in the event of a cross-strait conflict, according to Chieh Chung, secretary general of the Association of Strategic Foresight, a think tank in Taipei.

The “red beaches” are key locations along Taiwan’s coastline that the PLA could use for large-scale landing operations before advancing across the island.

“Tamsui and Linkou are strategically important because they provide easy access to Taipei and nearby airports in Songshan and Taoyuan,” Chieh said. “It is essential to secure these areas to prevent them from being occupied by the PLA.”

Beijing sees Taiwan as part of China to be reunited by force if necessary. While most countries, including the United States, do not recognise Taiwan as independent, the US, like most countries, opposes any attempt to reunify the island by force and has committed to supplying Taiwan with defensive weapons.

Chieh noted that while Tamsui and Linkou were strategically important for military purposes, the coastguard prioritised other northern areas, such as Yilan and Hsinchu, where most smuggling and illegal immigration activities took place.

“This creates a gap in coordination between the coastguard and the military in terms of deploying advanced surveillance systems like infrared thermal imaging,” Chieh said. “Close coordination between the two is necessary to improve monitoring and defence systems.”

Ying-yu Lin, a professor of international relations and strategic studies at Tamkang University in New Taipei, said he did not rule out the possibility that the two men might have been testing Taiwan’s maritime border security for intelligence purposes.

“The PLA could be exploring how easily the Tamsui River can be accessed and using it as a base to gather intelligence on other potential landing sites,” he said.

Su Tzu-yun, a senior analyst at the Institute for National Defence and Security Research, a government think tank, highlighted the difficulty of detecting small boats.

“To counter such infiltration tactics, new radar systems, additional patrol aircraft, and image recognition technology are required to quickly address security gaps.”

Su said that regardless of the individuals’ motives, “since the Tamsui River leads directly to the political and economic centre of Taipei, authorities must remain highly vigilant”.

China father ties son with rope and speaks with police about his school dropout

https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3279252/china-father-ties-son-rope-and-speaks-police-about-his-school-dropout?utm_source=rss_feed

A man in central China bound his teenage son with rope in public because the boy was failing out of school, igniting a heated debate about parenting styles in the country.

The two were caught on video fighting in Hunan province as the boy resisted his father’s attempts to restrain him with ropes and take him to the police station, according to Mengma Video.

The altercation occurred outside a store, where the owner told local media that the father, who was not identified, was a migrant worker who had travelled 1,000km from Zhejiang in eastern China to Hunan after the boy’s teachers called to complain about him.

The shop owner said that the teenager, who was between 14 and 15 years old, regularly skipped classes and had been on the verge of dropping out for some time. It was unclear if the boy’s mother was involved in his life.

“He just hangs around on the street. He smokes and is addicted to alcohol and gambling,” the store owner said.

When the father returned to Hunan province and found the boy on the street, he informed his son that he was about to take him to a police station to “receive an education.” The boy did not comply with his father.

“Why don’t you want to go to school to study?” the father was heard saying in the video as he tried to restrain his son.

Police officers later arrived to mediate the conflict, and one officer said he spoke with both the father and son before allowing them to leave.

“After all, this boy is still young and needs to go back to school,” said the officer.

China’s nine-year compulsory education scheme requires children to attend school until they are around 15 to 16 years old.

The incident resonated with millions of mainland Chinese internet users.

“In the future, this boy will be grateful that his father literally tied him up and forced him back to school,” one online observer commented on Douyin.

Another person remarked: “This father is responsible. He did not allow his son to go unchecked.”

A third commenter noted: “Educating such a kid is challenging. You can bind his body, but you can’t bind his heart. I hope he does not resort to bad behaviour if he feels his father’s restrictions are too constraining.”

China’s museums are full, but graduates can’t find jobs. What’s the state of the art?

https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3279325/chinas-museums-are-full-graduates-cant-find-jobs-whats-state-art?utm_source=rss_feed

For Jacky Zhang, a senior majoring in art history at a college in Hamilton, New York, running a gallery in New York City – dealing with young artists at the cutting edge of a global, trendsetting scene – would be nothing short of a dream job.

But the young man was quick to admit the chances of realising this goal are slim. With tightening visa policies in the United States and a tough job market for art graduates all over the world, he may have to take what he can get.

“I’ll return to China if I fail the visa lottery, but it wouldn’t be easy there either,” said Zhang, one of an increasing number of Chinese students pursuing art-related degrees at home and abroad.

While science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) diplomas are popular choices in the age of artificial intelligence, there is growing interest among China’s affluent families in sending their children to art schools – spurred by a nationwide culture craze and fierce competition in other academic subjects.

But how they will make a living after graduation is a big question that has remained unanswered for many as the domestic landscape is – at the moment – too small to support an enlarged talent pool, industry observers said.

The rising popularity in China for studying art coincided with a culture craze in recent years, with parents embracing museums, performances and artistic education like never before.

Evelyn Zhang, development director of Shanghai’s West Bund Art and Design Fair and the mother of an eight-year-old, said compared with a few years ago – when parents would take their kids to science or astronomy museums – art is becoming more important.

“When I took my family to Xinjiang this summer, we tried to visit an exhibition, but it was impossible to get tickets,” she said.

“Parents in China seem to have realised a museum visit is a must.”

This shift in cultural priorities is driven in part by improved living conditions, she said.

“When basic needs like food and clothing are met, people start seeking higher pursuits, and art is part of that,” Evelyn Zhang added.

With the global art market in contraction last year, China managed to buck the trend with a post-pandemic boost, according to the Art Basel and UBS Global Art Market Report released in March.

Art sales in China, including Hong Kong, increased by 9 per cent to an estimated US$12.2 billion, second only to the US.

Mirroring this trend, China’s new generation of parents – mostly born in the 1970s and 1980s – appear to have a different perspective on education compared to their forebears.

While the older cohort focused on their children’s income prospects after graduation, the new generation places less of a premium on earnings so long as children can survive on their own, Evelyn Zhang said.

“When I was young, my parents pushed me towards practical fields like finance and international economics,” she recalled. “They’d ask, ‘what’s the use of art?’”

Student Jacky Zhang agreed that the voluntary study of art often reflects a stable family background.

“In the US, for example, art schools are among the most expensive, not to mention the cost of art supplies, yet the starting salaries are the lowest,” he said. “Most art students I know come from well-off families.”

China now has a middle-income population 500 million strong, up 100 million from 2019 when the last official estimate was made, according to a March report by the state-owned Economic Daily.

Young Chinese artist Pu Yingwei sees a closer connection between art and society in China today as the middle class expands. Art fairs, museum events and exhibitions are helping people understand studying art is not useless, he said.

“Art is inherently interesting and relaxing. Many parents, after working hard for a lifetime, want their children to experience art,” said the 35-year-old, who also works as a writer and curator.

“On the other hand, it’s easier to get into good art schools abroad. For example, getting into a well-ranked UK art school is much easier than qualifying through cultural studies.”

Other majors such as science, he explained, often have higher requirements in academic studies and competition is usually bigger.

But as China’s art education system undergoes crucial reforms, the competition is getting fierce.

In 2002, China saw its first surge in art entrance exam applications, with 32,000 students registering. By 2013, the number exceeded 1 million and has hovered above that level since, according to figures from education authorities.

Starting this year, the academic requirements for art students have become more stringent.

“In the past, if you were weak in academics, studying art helped compensate for that. But now, the academic weight in the art exam has increased, making it much tougher for us,” said Wang Lulu, a first-year student at Jilin Animation Institute.

Despite growing fascination with art studies, many students said they were unprepared for their career paths after graduation.

In a survey of about 1,000 art students in China and abroad, around 85 per cent said they found it difficult to find a job or become an independent artist. The survey was conducted by Incendio Art Pathways, a Shanghai-headquartered art career advisory firm, earlier this year.

“In the US, even though the art job market is cold, the number of applicants keeps rising,” Jacky Zhang said.

“In China, one of the main avenues for employment is becoming a civil servant. However, if you’ve spent a lot of money studying art only to end up working in a government job, it doesn’t make much sense.”

In recent years, China’s civil service system has gradually relaxed restrictions on art-related positions by adding more roles.

There was a 6.6 per cent increase in art-related civil service positions at the national level this year, with plans to recruit 39,561 graduates, according to figures from the National Civil Service Administration.

An overall bleak job market for art graduates, especially in the private sector, has not helped matters.

For the class of 2024, as of May, 57 per cent of students had found employment, with the rest pursuing further education or waiting for opportunities, according to an online survey conducted by China Art Weekly, a publication under Zhejiang Daily publishing group.

Of those, 65 per cent entered public institutions, while 20 per cent joined private enterprises or galleries and 15 per cent became freelancers.

Early last year, the University of California, Berkeley reported a 73 per cent increase in arts and humanities students over the past decade.

Figures released by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in February suggested that art history majors had an 8 per cent unemployment rate, followed by liberal arts and fine arts majors at 7.9 per cent each.

Over half of graduates in all three categories were “underemployed”, or doing work that does not require a college degree.

Evelyn Zhang pointed out that even graduates in fields like jewellery or fashion design often feel lost when it comes to career development.

“Creative industries are filled with uncertainty, and students often reach graduation unsure of what to do next,” she said.

“This can create a sense of disillusionment, leading some to give up on their artistic ambitions altogether.”

Many graduates of China’s top art schools, like the China Academy of Art and the Central Academy of Fine Arts, eventually leave the art world.

“Not many continue working as artists. Most end up teaching art or working in completely unrelated fields,” she said.

And she attributed this to a lack of commercialisation and structure.

“It’s not as transparent or systematic as the finance industry, where you know exactly what banks exist and how they operate,” Evelyn Zhang added.

The roles which may or may not exist in galleries or museums is unclear, as is what those institutions actually do, she noted. Art organisations often lack proper training, while many galleries operate like workshops.

“Students who study abroad come back totally unprepared, finding a market that operates very differently from what they experienced overseas,” she said.

Pu, who completed his undergraduate study at the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute in western China and a postgraduate programme at the French art school Ensba Lyon, added that while many of his classmates from his undergraduate years found work, becoming a professional artist is still rare.

“Some of my classmates work in art-related roles at companies, others at art institutions, while some have opened training centres. A few teach in universities or high schools, and some work in interior design,” he said.

General perception appears to be that the supply of art graduates in the domestic market now far exceeds demand.

The Ministry of Education in November ordered educational institutions to “optimise the structure of art majors, and reasonably arrange enrolment plans”.

“For majors with insufficient social demand and low training quality, the enrolment plan should be reduced or enrolment should be stopped,” the ministry said.

However, Pu remained optimistic.

“As society continues to develop, people will seek out better-quality content, whether it’s a beautiful painting or stylish home decor,” he said. “Art will increasingly become a necessity.”

Evelyn Zhang agreed that China’s art market has room for growth, as the needs of the middle class have not been fully explored.

“For instance, where can you buy a painting that costs between 1,000 and 2,000 yuan? I don’t even know,” she said – even with 15 years of experience in the field.

“The entire industry needs to become more structured and transparent, with standardised practices.”