Chinese Society

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Strangers in Xinjiang

Over the weekend there was another deadly attack in Xinjiang Province, in which 16 people were killed.

Homelessness in China

Homelessness is not a social problem normally associated with China; however, it appears to be growing, particularly among the population of migrants who have moved into China's cities.

Quotations of Chairman Mao–Really a Best Seller?

I spend a lot of time in taxis in Beijing and since I am a blondish, big-nosed foreigner who speaks Chinese, many drivers are eager to chat. They want to know what work I do and how much money I make. When I tell them that I am an educator and don't make much money, they wonder what in the world I am doing here. 

Where are the Villages?

When I first went to China in the mid-1980s the rural/urban population ratio was 80/20. Today, after three decades of urbanization, that ratio is roughly 50/50.

ZGBriefs The Weeks Top Picks, November 14 Issue

Most of the news out of China this week was political, as the Third Plenum wrapped up their meeting in Beijing and issued their long-awaited communiqu. Details are still emerging and analysts are still trying to figure it all out. In this week's ZGBriefs, we included a special section with links to nine different articles. They are all helpful preliminary takes on the meeting.

ZGBriefs The Weeks Top Picks, November 7 Issue

My top picks for this week fall into two broad categories: English teaching and violence. The articles about English teaching were of interest to me because once upon a time I was an English teacher in China. The articles on violence are interesting and sober reads and help us understand that underneath the veneer of stability, there are some serious social tensions.

The Third Plenum and What to Look For

The Chinese Communist Party will hold its "Third Plenum" meeting in Beijing, beginning November 9. All eyes are on General Secretary Xi Jinping and the Party leaders as they unveil a new set of economic reforms. Will they be bold enough to meet the challenges of the day? Will they also include political reforms?