North China Plain

China and the legacy of the Olympic Games

China’s accused of breaking promises and “tarnishing the legacy of the Games”, but are the Olympics a sure path from despotism to democracy?

Rapid urbanization in Beijing

No-waste lunch: China’s “Clean Your Plate” campaign

Environment

Beijing Residents Struggle to Cope with Off-the-Charts Air Pollution

Conflict & Justice

Tensions Rise Between China and Japan

Global Politics
The World

China Warns Foreign Embassies Not To Publish Pollution Data

Global Politics

China has ordered the embassies of the US and other countries to stop releasing figures on air pollution in Beijing.

Anti-Foreigner Sentiment in China

Conflict & Justice

China is spending billions of dollars to improve its international image, yet it is also ramping up anti-foreigner rhetoric.

What Kinds of Cars Are Popular in China?

Paul Eisenstein, author of The Detroit Bureau,  is at  arguably the biggest of all motor show’s – and perhaps the most important: Beijing. What kinds of cars do the Chinese people like? The answer has important implications for the American auto industry. That’s because what the Chinese want from their cars is increasingly dictating what American’s get […]

‘Enjoy Culinary Delights’ — The Trouble With Literal Translations From Chinese

Arts, Culture & Media

When Beijing hosted the Summer Olympics in 2008, there was an effort to improve the English translations of street signs. Now, authorities in Beijing are launching a campaign to fight the often too literal translations in restaurant menus.

The World

World’s Biggest Museum Opens in China

Arts, Culture & Media

“That is one mother of a Confucius!” Beijing-based reporter Jocelyn Ford is not prone to hyperbole, but that was her uncensored reaction this week when she visited China’s National Museum on Tiananmen Square. On April 1, the museum opens to the public after a three-year expansion and renovation. A giant statue of the ancient Chinese […]