Inside Malaysia's $100 billion "ghost city"

Dec 14, 2023
In 2016, Country Garden unveiled a $100 billion project in Malaysia called Forest City. It was supposed to accommodate nearly 1 million people. Eight years on, the complex is virtually empty.
Forest City, a development in Malaysia that was supposed to house nearly 1 million people, now sits largely empty.
Mohd Rasfan/AFP via Getty Images

Who's better at my job, Chinese AI or me?

Dec 4, 2023
Makers of AI chatbots have promised it would change how we work. Our reporter put that theory to the test with China's Ernie Bot.
Baidu's AI chatbot, Ernie Bot, gives an error message on Aug. 31 in response to a question about a potential war over Taiwan.  It reads, "Try another question."
Greg Baker/AFP via Getty Images

How easy is it for foreign visitors to use Chinese apps?

Nov 21, 2023
Chinese apps are becoming more embedded in daily life in China, but many obstacles remain for foreign visitors to use them.
Thailand's Napatr Morin learned some Chinese before visiting China for the first time to sell her rice cracker snacks. She says knowing the language, or bringing someone who speaks Chinese is crucial for business and to use Chinese apps to get around.
Charles Zhang/Marketplace

Biden and Xi likely to discuss semiconductor dispute at APEC

Nov 15, 2023
Over the past few years, the U.S. and China have engaged in a tit-for-tat trade spat over semiconductors.
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives at San Francisco International Airport for the the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation on Tuesday.
Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

Why would China sell off its U.S. debt — if that's what it's doing

Nov 7, 2023
There's a hot debate about what it's doing with its holdings, and the answer could affect how much it costs Americans to borrow money.
"We care about whether foreign governments or entities are buying U.S. Treasurys because it impacts the cost of borrowing in this country," said Jesse Wheeler of Morning Consult.
Mark Schiefelbein/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

In China, marriage numbers have fallen, but those who choose to marry have their reasons

Oct 17, 2023
People get married for love, traditional cultural beliefs and to have a social safety net.
A couple takes wedding photos in a Shanghai park.
Charles Zhang/Marketplace

The European Union takes aim at Chinese subsides for electric vehicles

Oct 4, 2023
The EU has opened a formal investigation and could impose penalties to "level the playing field," while China decries that step as "naked protectionism." European automakers are hoping to avoid the fate of Europe’s solar industry a decade ago, when it was mostly wiped out by low cost Chinese competitors.
EVs made by Chinese car brand BYD were on display the IAA Mobility 2023 international motor show in Munich, Germany. The EU just announced it will probe China's use of subsidies to grow its EV presence.
Leonhard Simon/Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

One man's crisis of confidence in China

Oct 2, 2023
China’s economy has not been recovering as fast as hoped for after the zero-COVID policy ended, partly due to a lack of confidence.
A bustling market in China's Liaoning province. China's economy has not rebounded as quickly as anticipated, partly because of a lack of confidence among its people.
STR/AFP via Getty Images

Members-only retailers are a status symbol in China

Sep 18, 2023
While regular supermarkets are struggling in China, aspirational consumers keep Sam’s Club, Costco and its Chinese competitor Freshippo X expanding.
A shopper walks out with a full shopping cart from a Sam's Club in Shanghai. Membership retailers are expanding in China despite traditional supermarkets struggling.
Charles Zhang/Marketplace

Chinese video game designers experiment with AI

Sep 13, 2023
China's video gaming sector is the first to feel the impact of generative artificial intelligence.
An AI-generated animation character by a Chinese video gaming firm in Chengdu city.
Charles Zhang/Marketplace