Chinese people on the emotional roller coaster which was this year

We turn the last page of the calendar with mixed feelings. 2015 has been a significant and memorable year for China by anyone’s criteria. The faces of ordinary people reveal what happened in the year: excitement, hopefulness, bafflement, sorrow ... While the nation hopes for a bright future, along the way there won’t be a shortage of pleasure or pain for ordinary people.  Full Text

The South China Sea is vast, covering an expanse of 3.5 million square kilometers. A game between multiple players is turning the region into a powder keg. Full Text

The Tiananmen Rostrum looked a bit surreal on the early morning of September 3. 

The sun was about to rise, giving the dark blue sky a tinge of orange from the east. The street lamps were on and Changan Avenue, Beijing’s busiest street, never looked so empty. 
It was 5:32 am when I arrived, along with a bus full of reporters, at the very center of Beijing to begin my coverage of the military parade that celebrated the 70th anniversary of World War II. 

Months later, while recalling my experiences at the parade, I wonder if history would remember it as marking the beginning of a new era for the Chinese military. Full Text

The year 2015 saw the Chinese economy slide to its slowest pace in a quarter of a century as the economy shifted gears toward more sustainable growth.

This weaker-than-usual performance created an overall tense atmosphere. Yet, in the eyes of many, China managed surprisingly well considering the situation.  Full Text

The three major disasters that hit China in 2015 - be it man-made or natural - has triggered public discussions about the importance of safety regulations versus the country's booming economy. Full Text

Air pollution has been a major concern for China throughout 2015, a year that marked a new phase in the country’s air pollution control efforts, analysts said, after many cities were engulfed by hazardous smog and multiple measures were initiated against air pollution for the first time. After 2015 began with a controversial documentary about the hazards of smog, Under the Dome, the country has seen a rising public awareness of air pollution, as well as more measures from the government to curb the deterioration of air quality. Though Beijing’s first-ever pollution red alert came at the end of the year, the country’s battle against air pollution has just begun.

Analysts pointed out that though the air pollution is still severe, both the government and the public have been making efforts on fighting air pollution in 2015, which shows “a silver lining” and the possibility of blue skies in the future. Full Text

Many couples are struggling with several questions after the end of the one-child policy: Are the grandparents capable of taking care of another grandchild? If not, do we have enough money to hire a maid? Do we have enough time and energy to raise one more child? Full Text