1. Struggle philosophy Despite its rhetoric about social harmony, unity and peace, the Chinese Communist Party is an organisation born and rose to power through a sea of fire. Struggle 斗争 is at the heart of its identity. As Sinologist Geremie Barme explains: ‘Struggle’ 鬪/鬥 dòu, or 鬪爭 dòu zhēng, lies at the heart of … more
1. Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) passed the Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law《中华人民共和国反外国制裁法》(Chinese | English) on 10 June 2021. The law is effective immediately. The law provides a legal basis for the Chinese Government to punish and deter those involved in foreign sanctions against China. Individuals and organisations directly or indirectly involved could … more
1. Three Child Policy We wrote recently about family planning and gender roles, and the latest census. Now the Chinese Government has changed its “Two Child Policy” to “Three Child Policy”. Let’s recap. The “One Child Policy” lasted around 25 years from 1980. The “Two Child Policy” was then instituted in 2016 as China faced … more
1. Birth rate and demography Population and birth rate were the main focus of last week’s census release. The census showed that the number of births continued to fall, marking last year the lowest official number of births since 1961 (in the middle of the Great Famine). China’s total fertility rate in 2020 was only … more
1. May Fourth: complex legacy Tuesday marks the 102 anniversary of the May Fourth Movement. On May Fourth 1919, thousands of students gathered in front of Tiananmen to protest the Treaty of Versailles. They were infuriated by the betrayal of the Allies (for granting Japan the German concessions in Shandong), and the weakness of the … more
1. Tsinghua spirit Tsinghua University held celebrations for its 110th anniversary on Sunday. One of the top schools in China, Tsinghua was founded in 1911 amid dynastic collapse, social upheaval, and foreign aggression against China. Today, the Tsinghua spirit, as embodied in the official motto “self-discipline and social commitment” (自強不息、厚德載物) and the famous words “independent … more
