Yellen in Beijing, China’s new export curbs, and HK bounties

+ heatwave continues in North China and China wins women's basketball Asia Cup title

Welcome to another edition of What’s Happening in China, a weekly newsletter that curates the latest and most important news and developments from the country.

New here? Subscribe to get What’s Happening in China in your inbox every Saturday.

Let's dive in…

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Cathay Theatre in Shanghai, a stunning example of Art Deco architecture

POLITICS & SOCIETY

China's Xi Says Army Must 'Dare To Fight' During Military Inspection – Barron's

Chinese President Xi Jinping said Thursday the country's military must "dare to fight", state media reported, as he inspected forces operating in a flashpoint region near Taiwan.

Xi's visit comes during a flurry of diplomacy with the United States -- Taiwan's main security backer -- with Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen currently in Beijing for talks aimed at stabilising economic ties.

Xi urges Jiangsu to lead nation's modernization – China Daily

As Jiangsu enjoys a strong industrial base, abundant educational resources, a favorable business environment and a huge market, Xi said that the province has the capability and obligation to be a pioneer in advancing Chinese modernization.

He urged Jiangsu to continue to play an exemplary role in promoting reform, innovation and high-quality development, as well as in contributing to the country's efforts to foster a new development paradigm.

The inspection tour took him to the cities of Suzhou and Nanjing, where he visited an industrial park, enterprises, a historical and cultural block, and a science laboratory. It was his fourth fact-finding inspection tour to Jiangsu since he became general secretary of the CPC Central Committee in 2012.

Are Chinese finally pursuing a "well-rounded" education this time around? –

Baiguan - China Insights, Data, Context

Chinese parents and educators have long recognized the shortcomings of the exam-focused education system. "Suzhi Education," which roughly translates to "quality education" or "caliber education," focuses on the well-rounded development of students beyond exam scores. The scope of “Suzhi Education” is never universally defined, but the consensus is that it aims to emphasize aspects such as ethics, innovation-thinking, personality, wellness, and aesthetics—basically everything a well-rounded person needs to succeed and live a fulfilling life outside the classroom.

The concept of "Suzhi Education" was officially introduced by the State Council in 1993 and has been frequently discussed by educators and parents in the past decade. While everyone recognizes its importance, extracurricular activities have increasingly taken a backseat to academic tutoring. More importantly, despite understanding its significance, few know what the best practices are for learning all aspects of "Suzhi Education" since there is no established rubric for this learning system.

Now that education companies are being "forced" to seriously focus on developing programs for non-academic fields, the topic of "Suzhi Education" has become trendy again. Many are wondering: are Chinese finally pursuing a "well-rounded" education this time around?

Coco Lee: Death of pop icon sparks mental health discussion in China – BBC

Pop singer Coco Lee's death has shocked the Chinese-speaking world, and sparked discussions of mental health issues on China's social media.

Lee passed away after being in a coma since attempting to take her own life on the weekend, according to a Facebook post from her older sisters Carol and Nancy. She was 48.

They also disclosed that she had been suffering from depression in recent years.

China at the peak –

Noahpinion

[…] for Western companies looking for new markets, Altasia will potentially be more exciting than China ever was. The Chinese market delivered riches to some, but the government banned some products (especially internet services) and stole the technology used to make others. Ultimately, China’s billion consumers turned out to be a mirage for many. The economies and societies of Altasia, in comparison, are much more open to foreign products.

And in the poorer countries of Altasia — India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Philippines, etc. — there will be the heady excitement of industrial development. It will be their turn to build highways, their subways, their gleaming forests of apartments and office towers. It will be their turn to buy cars and big-screen TVs, go out to eat, go dancing at clubs, and send their kids to college. Developing Altasia will be a damn exciting place to be in next three decades.

---

Coming up next:

• Janet Yellen in Beijing

• China curbs critical metal exports

• Hong Kong issues bounties for self-exiled activists

• Taiwan needs SpaceX’s Starlink

• World AI conference in Shanghai

• Heatwave continues in North China

• And so much more…