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Featured Article
How Chinese Netizens Find Joy, Identity, and Rebellion in Food (April 22, 2026, The World of Chinese)
As troubling international news fills the internet and competition in school and the workplace shows little sign of slowing down, it’s no wonder then that people are taking stock of what’s in front of them—namely, food—uniting online for peace of mind, as well as practical pleasure.
Government / Politics / Foreign Affairs
Bend or Ban Them: Independent Religious Groups Defy China’s Communist Party Despite Growing Crackdown (April 23, 2026, MERICS)
Over the past six months, Beijing has arrested hundreds of leaders and practitioners of Protestant “underground churches” (地下教会), including Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu, Yayang Church in Wenzhou, and Beijing Zion Church, with arrests across several cities. Zion Church pastors have since been charged with “illegally using information networks” and the lawyers representing them are facing threats in a mounting pressure campaign.
Translation: “Scaling the Great Firewall”? You’ve Crossed the Line (April 23, 2026, China Digital Times)
China’s technical internet controls are complemented and reinforced by public messaging that frames them as necessary protection for the country’s citizens. As well as justifying the controls’ existence, this messaging supports their function by deterring people from even attempting the kinds of activities that might otherwise be blocked. In this way, the messaging itself is an integral part of the dynamic, layered overall control system.
China Trades Defence Support, Investment for Mozambique’s 5 Trillion Cubic Metres Gas and Vast Mineral Reserves (April 27, 2026, Business Insider Africa)
Mozambique is deepening ties with China in a sweeping agreement that combines defence cooperation, geological mapping and industrial investment to unlock one of Africa’s most resource-rich frontiers, revealing Beijing’s growing influence in the continent’s mineral and energy sectors.
Religion
Xiangtan: Home Churches (Not House Churches) (April 23, 2026, China Partnership)
Xiangtan, in Hunan Province, is known throughout China as the home of many famous leaders, most notably Mao Zedong. In today’s Xiangtan, unregistered churches—commonly known as house churches—are no longer able to meet in public spaces like office buildings. Instead, because of government pressure, most modern house churches have moved back into private homes. Church leaders say they need more believers to rise up and guide these proliferating small “home” churches.
China Fears the Church, America Fears the Chinese: A Chinese Christian Student Caught in Between (April 24, 2026, The Diplomat)
For spring break, we took the kids to Disneyland. The line for the Guardians of the Galaxy ride stretched to 95 minutes. Standing in front of me was a young Asian man scrolling on his phone. I glanced over and saw him using WeChat, the Chinese social media app. So I decided to strike up a conversation in Chinese: “Are you excited to ride Guardians? It’s one of the most thrilling roller coasters in the US. He looked up, smiled, and said, “Oh, I’m so excited! Hallelujah!”
Calling and Shepherding (April 24, 2026, ChinaSource)
Like all new believers, I sought comfort in the church from the totality of my disappointments in the human world. Each week, I longed to gather with brothers and sisters to study Scripture, to share in fellowship, and to express endless thanksgiving and worship toward the Lord Jesus. Each day, whenever I encountered others, I sought every possible opportunity to proclaim the gospel, to testify to Jesus Christ, to discuss theological questions, and to distribute copies of the Bible.
A Christian Story From the Mountains of Guizhou, Part One – The Forefathers (April 26, 2026, China Change)
If we are to take stock of the Christian experience in China, the story of Pastor Yang Hua (仰华) may provide a good example. A third-generation Christian, the history of his family’s faith spans ninety years and can be traced back to the work of the China Inland Mission started by Hudson Taylor, one of the greatest missionaries to China. From an evangelist at sixteen years old to the leader of the Living Stone Church in Guiyang, the provincial capital of the southwestern province of Guizhou province, Yang Hua’s personal journey reflects the trials and tribulation of Chinese Christians over the past four decades.
How God Provides (April 27, 2026, ChinaSource)
One of the most striking paradoxes of China’s church is the exponential growth that took place after foreign missionary support was removed and the church was cut off from the outside world. Stripped of its institutional resources, financial support, and formal leadership, the church not only survived, but went on to experience an astonishing revival, becoming one of the fastest growing Christian movements in church history.
Bridging Theology and Mysticism (April 28, 2026, ChinaSource)
Overall, we hope to establish a theological model that guides our Christian faith and spiritual practices, helping Protestant Christians and churches carry on the fine spiritual tradition. Currently, we have achieved encouraging preliminary results that combine theory and practice.
Society / Life
Winning Over Chinese Tourists On a Low Budget (April 22, 2026, ChinaSkinny)
When China Skinny speaks with Chinese travellers about their most memorable experiences when travelling overseas, they often don’t mention the iconic landmarks. Instead, they recall personal interactions; moments where they felt recognized, understood, or welcomed.
Economics / Trade / Business
Inside Tesla’s Hidden Supply Chain: How a Chinese Town Shapes the Modern World (April 22, 2026, South China Morning Post)
Few people have heard of Huangyan, a booming industrial district of Taizhou, a city in eastern China’s Zhejiang province. Yet without it, many cars would likely be heavier, more expensive and less energy efficient, while everyday household goods would probably cost more. The town specializes in plastic components and moulding equipment—unassuming products that rarely make the news, but sit at the heart of modern manufacturing.
Chinese Brands Learn to Stop Worrying and Love Customer Feedback (April 23, 2026, Sixth Tone)
In China, brands are increasingly developing strategies based on public feedback. The trend has a name—tingquan, or “listen-to-advice” marketing—and the idea is simple: comments, memes, and casual suggestions are now being factored into real business decisions. One recent example involved Kaojiang, a popular restaurant chain that specializes in spicy grilled fish. Last November, they asked customers to vote on where their inaugural Shanghai store should open, expecting a little social media buzz. In the end, more than 45,000 people voted via the social app WeChat.
The Fragile Dragon: Trade, Trump and China’s Vulnerabilities (April 27, 2026, National Committee on U.S.-China Relations)
In this conversation, National Committee President Steve Orlins interviews Ker Gibbs, former president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai during the Obama, first Trump, and Biden administrations, about his new book, The Fragile Dragon: Trade, Trump, and China’s Vulnerabilities. Drawing on unparalleled access to leaders on both sides of the Pacific, Gibbs examines why US-China tensions have reached a breaking point and what it means for global stability.
The Chinese Sports Brand Taking on Nike and Adidas (April 27, 2026, BBC)
China’s economy was just starting to open up in the late 1980s when a determined high school dropout made his way to Beijing with 600 pairs of shoes. Ding Shizhong had them made in a relative’s factory and now he was going to sell them. The money he earned paid for his first workshop where he began making footwear for other companies. The 17-year-old was one of China’s many newly minted entrepreneurs as capitalism took off under the watchful eye of its Communist Party rulers. But, as it turns out, Ding had much bigger plans.
Arts / Entertainment / Media
A Chongqing Boy Wins World Breaking Title with Kung Fu-Inspired Moves (March 12, 2026, iChongqing)
A 13-year-old from Chongqing, China, has claimed the global championship at the Juste Debout 2026, one of the most prestigious street dance competitions in the world. Li Yongqiu (Qiuqiu), a junior high school student, captivated judges and spectators with a breaking routine infused with traditional Chinese martial arts, securing first place beyond dispute.
When Chinese Women Dominate a Tech Scene (April 27, 2026, The World of Chinese)
As more women-focused hackathons emerge in Chinese cities, they’re not only drawing more women into a traditionally male-dominated tech field, but also creating products that address everyday challenges women face.
Don’t Swat the Scholars (April 28, 2026, China Media Project)
In China’s highly controlled journalism climate today, where hard news is virtually impossible and critical reporting is most often off limits, media that do pursue supervision-style reporting generally turn to smaller topics beneath the level of public power, a practice long described as “swatting at flies and letting the tigers run free.”
Language / Language Learning
How To Not Memorize Chinese Characters: The Anatomy of Bad Mnemonics (April 27, 2026, Hacking Chinese)
Mnemonics are clever memory techniques that leverage how the brain works to make it easier to remember everything from PIN codes to Chinese characters. When used correctly, mnemonics can make both everyday life and learning Chinese easier. When used incorrectly, however, they are a distraction, or in some cases, even make learning harder!
Science / Technology
A Humanoid Robot Just Beat the Human World Record for the Fastest Half-Marathon During a Race in China (April 22, 2026, Smithsonian Magazine)
On April 19, thousands of athletes ran alongside more than 100 humanoid robots in the 2026 Beijing E-Town Humanoid Robot Half-Marathon. A five-and-a-half-foot-tall, self-navigating android called Lightning ended up squashing the competition, winning the entire championship and even beating the human world record by several minutes.
China Planted 78 Billion New Trees—and Seriously Messed Up Its Water Cycle (April 25, 2026, Popular Mechanics)
According to Reuters, China grew 116,000 square miles of trees, increasing the country’s total forest coverage from 10 percent in 1949 to roughly 25 percent in 2024. But a 2025 study published in the journal Earth’s Future shows that all those additional trees (roughly 78 billion since the early 80s, by some estimates) come with some unforeseen consequences for China’s water distribution.
History / Culture
Podcast—The Rise of Communism and the Forgotten Soviet Invasion of China in 1929 – with Frank Dikotter (April 27, 2026, Peking Hotel)
How did the Chinese Communist Party rise to power, drive the Kuomintang to Taiwan, and found the People’s Republic of China? One may be excused to think that such an old question must have been settled long ago. And indeed, the rise of the Chinese Communist Party is one of the defining and arguably the founding debates of contemporary China studies, as giants such as Karl Wittfogel, John Fairbank, and others fiercely disagreed with each other over 70 years ago. In the post-WW2 years of McCarthyism, this academic contention found itself at the forefront of the political battle over “Who Lost China,” as the American political establishment sought for answers—and scapegoats—in its complete political exclusion from mainland China, despite having aided China throughout its fight against the Japanese.
Events
Online Book Club (ERRC)
The next book for ERRC’s online book club discussion will be Other Rivers: A Chinese Education, by Peter Hessler. More than two decades after teaching English during the early part of China’s economic boom, an experience chronicled in his book River Town, Peter Hessler returned to Sichuan Province to instruct students from the next generation. At the same time, Hessler and his wife enrolled their twin daughters in a local state-run elementary school, where they were the only Westerners. Over the years, Hessler had kept in close contact with many of the people he had taught in the 1990s. By reconnecting with these individuals—members of China’s “Reform generation,” now in their forties—while teaching current undergrads, Hessler gained a unique perspective on China’s incredible transformation.
The discussion will be facilitated by Joann Pittman from ChinaSource. Grab the book and start reading today! Check out the ERRC website for more details and a registration link.
Date: Wednesday, May 13
Time: 5PM PDT / 8PM ED.
Conference: Nourishing Trust and Friendship: Following the Way of Christ (United States – China Catholic Association)
Join us for the 30th Biennial Conference of the US-China Catholic Association.
Dates: July 31–August 2, 2026
Location: University of St. Thomas, Houston, TX
Opportunity
Invitation to Lead GoLiveServe into Our Next Chapter (Go Live Serve)
The Board of GLS is beginning the search for our next Executive Director. We invite you to join us in prayer and to share this opportunity with those who may be called. GLS warmly invites visionary leaders to take our organization into an exciting new season of growth and impact. For 35 years, we have been a pioneer in bi‑vocational (aka tentmaking) mission. As we look ahead, we are seeking a leader who will bring spiritual depth, strategic insight, and relational wisdom to our community. Building on our strength, this leader will take our ministry across Asia and the Middle East in collaboration with global partners.
Location: US‑based
Contact: [email protected]
www.goliveserve.org
Pray for China
May 1 (Pray For China: A Walk Through History)
On May 1, 1592, missionary astronomer Johann Adam Schall von Bell (汤若望) was born in Germany. Schall came to Macau in 1619 and moved to Beijing in 1630. He was a trusted advisor to the first Qing Emperor to rule over China; as a result, Jesuit missions prospered during that period. Under the second emperor, Court rivals had Schall imprisoned and he died in poor health at age 75 not long after his release. As International Labor Day is observed in the PRC, pray for the Lord to be glorified by astronomers and other scientists who trust and serve Him wholeheartedly. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6
Activating Prayer for China (February 23, 2026, ChinaSource)
Prayer 2026: Off the Beaten Path (January 1, 2026, China Partnership)
Praying Through the ChinaSource Journal (October 13, 2025, ChinaSource)
Praying Through ZGBriefs (August 29, 2025, ChinaSource)
Operation World (April 21, 2025, ChinaSource)
Pray for China (prayforchina.us)
Prayer Walking as a Rhythm of Life (May 30, 2025, ChinaSource)