How a Beijing courier’s story struck a chord and escaped the censors
Cost-conscious day-trippers from mainland are replacing luxury shoppers, hitting the retail sector
Cooling economy and cultural decoupling spark doubts over the sustainability of western-influenced lifestyles
There are signs of hope for the market but not enough to help developers out of their current predicament
Instrument maker hopes growing retiree interest in saxophones and guitars will offset decline in piano sales
Life and health insurers are benefiting from both long-term demographic tailwinds and the AI revolution
Demographic shift underlines emerging opportunities in country’s vast consumer market
A swansong for a vanishing world and a moving account of the pressures and persecutions in Xi’s China
Thousands of delegates gather in Beijing for annual meeting of country’s rubber-stamp parliament
Worries about the cost of treatment discourage consumption despite improvements in healthcare insurance coverage
As the government struggles to ease a real estate crisis, state-owned developers have been buying up land
Relatively low expenditure that directly supports individual consumption could undermine growth efforts
‘Ne Zha 2’ rakes in $1.7bn with help from companies organising group outings and repeat viewings
Ageing population, falling birth rates and aversion to matrimony compound demographic challenge
Rail services catering to the elderly come as Beijing grapples with declining population and slower growth
The poor urban neighbourhoods that powered a manufacturing boom are once again on the front lines of Beijing’s plans
Employers and cities offer subsidised rent to woo labourers who powered economic transformation
Japanese group considering $25bn investment into OpenAI
Anaesthetics are not putting patients to sleep, doctors warn, in call for greater access to foreign medicine
Policymakers respond with tax breaks and other measures as figures reveal third consecutive year of decline
Authorities reluctant to clamp down on crucial source of central government revenue
Officials fear jurisdiction will be compromised and push could open door for Beijing to intervene in its domestic affairs
Lack of blockbusters, pandemic aftereffects and hard economic times blamed for 2024 slump
Gambling crimes bill would be highly effective in enforcing Beijing’s crackdown on illicit capital outflows from China
Calls grow to scrap hukou household registration system to unleash pent-up consumption
