China’s primary school enrolment fell to 14.617 million in 2025, a drop of 10% from the previous year and a 22% contraction from the peak in 2023, reports Caixin citing data from the National Bureau of Statistics. With births further sliding to 7.92 million in 2025, projections suggest that primary school intake will shrink by nearly half […]
Category: Politics & Society
China’s Supreme People’s Court has issued a warning against the practice of demanding excessive betrothal gifts, reports Caixin. The move comes as part of a state campaign to curb costly wedding customs that authorities say are destabilizing families and imposing heavy financial burdens. In a press briefing Monday, the high court reiterated the legal principle prohibiting […]
Hong Kong stocks fell to a nearly three-month low on Wednesday, reports the South China Morning Post. This comes as surging oil prices fuelled bets that rising energy costs would stoke inflation and cripple global growth. The Hang Seng Index closed 2% lower at 25,249.48, the lowest since December 16. The Hang Seng Tech Index lost […]
The escalating conflict in Iran has disrupted Chinese car shipments to the Middle East, reports Caixin. The situation is paralyzing Chinese business operations in Iran and threatening the viability of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as a crucial transshipment hub. A source at a Chinese state-owned automaker told Caixin that his company’s business in Iran has […]
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Birthrate blues
With China’s primary school enrolment rate for 2025 down 10% from the previous year, and for sure falling ever faster, the shadow of the demographic steamroller is getting ever longer. Just 14.617 million children enrolled in primary schools across the country, and projections see that number halving over the next six years. 2025 also saw […]