For a long time up until recently, Chinese bitcoin exchanges didn’t charge users transaction fees—a major revenue source for other exchanges in the crypto market.…
IN THE FIELD
The lives of bitcoin miners digging for digital gold in Inner Mongolia
Ordos, Inner Mongolia, China A decade ago, after a speculative coal boom fizzled, the once-thriving desert city of Ordos, in Inner Mongolia, became China’s largest…
SHOW ME THE MONEY
Shady debt collectors in China are hiring grannies and HIV patients to intimidate people
Small businesses in China often have to turn to loan sharks to borrow money at high interest rates, and recovery of debts can be, well,…
WOLF WARRIOR
China’s answer to Rambo is about punishing those who offend China—and it’s killing it in theaters
A patriotic Chinese action movie about punishing those who offend China has become the highest-earning film ever shown in the country. Set in a war-torn…
CARROT-AND-STICK
China says it’s done its part to rein in North Korea—now the US and South Korea should step up
The question of whether Beijing would go along with much harsher sanctions against North Korea was answered this weekend. China voted in favor of sanctions…
SEEING RED
Two little-used trade weapons Trump might employ against China
The US is gearing up to crack down on China’s theft of American intellectual property (IP) and other trade practices, according to recent reports. The…
ESCAPE
In China, a pioneering transgender movie made by teens is trying to skirt censorship
In one scene, Zhang Wang’an, an 18-year-old high school student in Beijing, is shown working out at a gym in order to appear more masculine.…
ARENA OF VALOR
China’s smash-hit mobile game is coming to the US without many of its Chinese elements
Launched in 2015, Honor of Kings is a multiplayer online battle game similar to League of Legends, but for mobile phones. About 55 million people…
VERY CHARITABLE
The complex ownership of the Chinese firm trying to buy the Mooch’s hedge fund
Back in January, flamboyant Wall Street financier Anthony Scaramucci, aka the Mooch, was set to join Donald Trump’s White House as a senior advisor, but…
SOFT POWER
China’s female soldiers fly fighter jets, but its state media would rather focus on their dancing skills
As the 90th anniversary of the Chinese military’s founding (August 1) approaches, China’s state-controlled news outlets have been publicizing the presence of the People Liberation…
A FRIENDLY REMINDER
China’s official news style guide really wants you to know that Taiwan and Hong Kong are part of China
China’s state news agency Xinhua has published a major update to its style guide, with a huge emphasis on Beijing’s sovereignty over Taiwan and Hong…
LET ME ENTERTAIN YOU
Meet the American property tycoon set to control China’s answers to Netflix and Disneyland
Some Chinese business moguls fall dramatically from grace. Others can bounce back from tough times to reach new heights. Right now, tycoon Sun Hongbin (pictured…
