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China’s 2024 in Photos

Visual stories that get up close and personal with contemporary China. A mix of short videos, documentaries, photography, and data visualization.

MULTIMEDIA

A selection of the year’s best photos by Sixth Tone’s visual editors.

City or Not City? The Buzzwords That Defined China’s 2024

Timely reports on issues and events from across China. Drawing on a vast range of sources, these succinct articles provide insights into the significance of each issue in a wider context.

NEWS

Did you spend 2024 as a “beast of burden” or embracing your destiny as the “Greek god of sleep”? Unsure what we’re talking about altogether? Sixth Tone has you covered with the year’s top slang.

Chiung Yao, Iconic Author of Romance and Drama, Dies at 86

A prolific author and screenwriter, she shaped Chinese-language literature and cinema with her tales of love, loss, and forbidden relationships.

Collage: At China Expo, Trade Meets Tech 

Snapshots from the China International Import Expo (CIIE).

At CIIE, New Tech and Wellness Products Target China’s Elderly

This year’s expo highlights a wide array of health and wellness products for the elderly, from therapeutic treatments to smart devices.

Seeking New Markets, African Exporters Bet Big on China Expo

From shea butter from Ghana to pineapples from Benin to baobab flour from Mali, this year’s fair features agricultural exporters from several African countries.

Meet the Robots That Run, Mix Drinks, and Play Table Tennis

Sixth Tone takes a closer look at some of the standout robots from this year’s China International Import Expo.

At CIIE, China Vows Further Market Access, Global Partnership

Chinese Premier Li Qiang pledges gradual expansion of market access, says China stands ready to deploy further stimulus if needed.

The General’s Tomb

What can a 3,000-year-old grave tell us about life during the Shang Dynasty?

Experts Push for Joint US-China Action on Climate and AI

Over the last week, American experts explored China’s climate solutions and AI innovations through academic exchanges and discussions.

China’s City of Bicycles

How Shanghai became the capital of China’s two-wheeled craze.

AI to Startups, Shanghai Aims to Lead the Next Innovation Wave

At an annual mayor’s forum, global executives urge Shanghai to harness AI, attract talent, and drive tech innovation.

Haitang, the Lost Chinese Whale, Finally Swims to Freedom

After a five-month rescue operation, the short-finned pilot whale has finally recovered from his injuries and been released back into the ocean.

The Villagers Turned ‘River Chiefs’ Helping to Protect China’s Waterways

China’s Goals for 2024: 5% Growth, 12 Million New Jobs

China’s top political event of the year, the “two sessions,” which sets the government’s economic and social agenda, began Monday.

The Language of Now: China’s Best Internet Slang in 2023

Sixth Tone lists the buzzwords that shaped conversations on Chinese social media.

Housing a Megacity

The living conditions of Shanghai residents have transformed massively in the past few decades, from mostly crude dwellings to the many high-rise apartment buildings we see today.

Rachel Murphy on the Global Future of China Studies

Translations, cross-publications, and collaborative projects from Sixth Tone’s external partners. 

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In a Changing World, China Rethinks ‘China Studies’

The World Conference on China Studies opened Thursday in Shanghai with a new name, new mission, and new approach.

Collage: In Shanghai, China Expo Returns to Pre-Pandemic Bustle

Snapshots from the China International Import Expo.