In the early hours of September 13, Jing Yidan, a former famous host of CCTV and senior editor of Focus Report, passed away in Beijing due to illness at the age of 71. Former CCTV host Cui Yongyuan posted a tribute, stating that her passing marks the end of a decent era in the history of Chinese journalism.
On September 12, a blogger posted a payslip from Nantong CIMC, showing 30 days of attendance and a total of 352 working hours last month, averaging over 11 hours per day. The actual take-home pay was 11,364 yuan, with an hourly wage of approximately 32 yuan. The video has sparked widespread discussion among netizens regarding long overtime hours, lack of social security, and low hourly wages.
On September 13, a blogger released a video visiting multiple fast-food restaurants to investigate employee working hours and leave arrangements. A McDonald's employee stated they work 8 hours a day as a part-timer with an hourly wage of 14 RMB, while another employee evaded questions about the number of leave days. The video sparked widespread attention and discussion among netizens regarding labor rights.
On September 14, an indiscriminate knife attack on passersby occurred near the University City in Guangzhou. A man wearing a black mask committed the assault in the street, leaving multiple people injured.
On September 13, a netizen discovered an elderly woman struggling with persistent pop-up ads on her domestic smartphone, which prevented her from operating the device or contacting her family. The netizen then stepped in to help her close the ads.
Kyodo News, citing multiple sources, reported that Beijing has signaled to Washington that if the U.S. approves any new arms sales to Taiwan before the upcoming U.S.-China summit, China will consider canceling the meeting.
A netizen in Guangxi captured a video of an uncle who fell to the ground together with an electric scooter, struggling to get up, while nearby vendors, pedestrians and a man playing on his phone were indifferent, no one stepped forward to help.
On September 11, U.S. federal prosecutors in Detroit charged 41-year-old Tianjin resident Di Jin with allegedly collecting information on current and former U.S. government officials regarding U.S.-China relations for Chinese intelligence agencies. According to an FBI investigation, she acted under the direction of Shanghai intelligence officers, using her work at a Beijing think tank as a cover, and was instructed to delete chat records before traveling to the U.S. Her communications involved topics such as "Xi’s team," rare earth elements, U.S. debt, and tariffs.
On September 12, a concertgoer at a cultural and sports center in Chengdu was stopped by security personnel while attending a Shan Yichun concert. The security staff claimed her makeup and outfit constituted 'strange attire' and forced her to remove her makeup and change clothes before allowing her entry, causing her to miss about 20 minutes of the performance. Other audience members in the comments section also reported facing similar harassment.
On September 14, the Ningbo Metro Line 12 Xiangshan branch launched its first day of free trial rides, and the site descended into severe chaos due to overcrowded passenger flow. A large number of elderly passengers pushed and crowded while entering stations and boarding, causing many to fall to the ground, and inside the carriage there were even uncontrolled incidents of people slamming the windows.
On September 14, 2026, Wuzhishan City, Hainan Province experienced continuous heavy rain, and a sudden landslide disaster occurred near Wuzhishan Middle School. The current casualty situation is still unclear.
On September 10, a net blogger posted a video showing children's sitting posture correction. The footage shows a girl wearing a red scarf studying at a desk, with the back of the chair, in front of her chin, and under her feet all covered with dangerous items resembling sharp spikes, prompting netizens' criticism and mocking it as torture.
On September 12, a netizen from Guangxi posted a video showing the local water turning an unusually bright emerald green, sparking widespread attention. Afterwards the netizen's account avatar was forcibly reset by the platform, apparently subject to public opinion control.
On September 11, Foreign Affairs magazine published an analysis stating that the artificial intelligence and robotics revolution is reshaping the global economic and geopolitical landscape. The article warns that China is leading the AI and robotics industry through state subsidies and massive domestic demand, turning it into a tool for economic dumping, geopolitical pressure, and military advantage, which may exacerbate crises in democratic countries and further consolidate authoritarian regimes.
On September 13, 2026, the founder of Pang Donglai, Yu Donglai, posted a statement on social media stating that the company will designate newly hired employees as “trainees”, set the contract term to four years with no renewal, and employees who do not meet the training goals will not receive a qualification certificate; the list of qualified employees will be publicly searchable on the company’s website. This measure aims to cultivate employees’ life philosophy, independent personality and technical skills, in line with the enterprise’s talent development plan.
On September 12, 2026, a Phoenix reporter conducted a second on-site visit to the Osman telecom fraud park located in China. The park was originally a casino hotel, later converted into a telecom fraud center during the COVID-19 pandemic. The reporter noted that the interior of the park is divided into multiple target zones, scamming victims from many countries and regions worldwide, and the fraudsters' working hours are flexibly adjusted according to different target zones. This report reveals the formation process and operational model of the fraud park.
On September 12, 2026, netizens filmed a "Socialist Core Values" propaganda board on Shuoyuan Road in Linhe District, Bayannur City, Inner Mongolia, with two homeless people sleeping on the ground behind the board. After the video was posted, the platform cleared the comment section of the video and prohibited further comments, resulting in censorship.
On September 14, 2026, a military supply station in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, owing workers’ wages, had several workers hang a banner reading “Military Supply Station, Return My Blood‑Sweat Money” at the station’s gate, publicly demanding immediate wage settlement. No police presence was seen on site; after persisting for several hours, the workers left without receiving an immediate response.
On September 13, China Civil Aviation Network issued a notice stating that Beijing and its surrounding areas will activate a permanent no‑fly zone on September 20. The no‑fly zone has a radius of 300 km, covering airspace from the ground up to unlimited altitude and operates around the clock. Except for civil aviation flights and emergency rescue, all other flight activities are restricted. The notice points out that this measure does not affect the public’s ability to travel by air. The notice includes a navigation notice photo marked “Civil Aviation North China Air Traffic Management Bureau”, with the validity period column marked “PERM”.
On September 11, 2026, a Huawei exclusive store in Zhejiang Province forced two on‑the‑job employees to perform compulsory deep‑squat punishments, requiring them to squat continuously in place for dozens of times. Passersby on the scene witnessed and recorded the whole incident on their phones; the video later spread on social platforms, sparking netizens’ doubts and criticism of the company’s labor practices. The store has not issued any public response.
On September 12, at the BRICS summit held in New Delhi, India, Indian Prime Minister Modi suddenly paused during his speech, turned to Xi Jinping and his interpreter twice to ask, "Is it OK?". After Xi Jinping nodded in response, Modi continued his speech. Indian media reported that the cause of this episode remains unclear and may be related to on-site equipment or translation.
On September 14, 2026, the blogger filmed a nighttime on-site scene in a multi-story office building in Shanghai and found large areas of vacancy on some floors, with corridor lights still on and no one inside the offices. The video shows that the brightly lit exterior of the building actually contains mostly public corridors, while the actual office areas are empty. Data released by several real‑estate consulting firms for the second quarter of 2026 state that the overall vacancy rate of Grade‑A office buildings in Shanghai is between 22% and 23.5%. A JLL report shows the overall vacancy rate of Shanghai Grade‑A office towers at 23.5%, with 19.3% in the Central Business District and 27.1% outside it, meaning that for every four square metres, more than one square metre is vacant. This phenomenon reveals a supply‑greater‑than‑demand situation in Shanghai's office‑building market.
On the evening of June 28, 2026, Lin from Haoba Town, Junlian County, Sichuan Province was raped by town government staff Jie. The assault took place in the restroom of Lin's own barbecue shop. Police accepted the case on June 30. On July 16, the Junlian County Public Security Bureau refused to file the case, citing "no criminal facts occurred"; the criminal review on August 10 also refused to file. Later, the Yibin Public Security Bureau, on September 7, re‑examined and concluded that the case "had criminal facts," pointing out the county bureau's error and insufficient evidence, and revoked its decision not to file. Lin, after the case was not processed in time, attempted suicide by wrist‑cutting and was later diagnosed with severe depression. Suspect Jie denied the rape in an interview on September 11, calling it "a small misunderstanding" and saying the disciplinary committee had intervened. On the morning of September 12, Lin received a "Case Filing Notice" issued by the Junlian County Public Security Bureau.
On September 10, 2026, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (referred to as "Stoltenberg" in the text) said in a public speech in Berlin, Germany that if China takes military action against Taiwan or other areas of the first island chain, Xi Jinping will first call Russian President Putin, using Russia's power in Europe to constrain NATO. Stoltenberg emphasized that Indo‑Pacific and European security are increasingly interlinked, the United States feels its military resources are being stretched, and Europe must take on more conventional defence responsibilities. The remarks aim to warn the West of the risk of simultaneous pressure on the Indo‑Pacific and European fronts.
On September 11, 2026, a high school student uploaded a video on a social platform showing the school’s teaching building stairwell sealed off by dense fences. The video quickly spread among students, and students from other schools also began sharing similar footage. Netizens commented that the teaching building resembled a prison, leading to heated discussion. So far, no school or education authority has responded.
On September 9, 2026, a netizen was told by their employer that during their employment (within 5 years) they may not voluntarily resign and that travel abroad was restricted. To obtain a passport, she negotiated with the leader and began striking off work on the same day. After 15 days of absence, the employer initiated dismissal procedures, and about three months later completed all formalities, returning the passport to her. No other personnel intervened or publicly protested during the period.
The People's Bank of China released the financial data for August. New RMB loans nationwide totaled only 60 billion yuan, far below the market expectation of 404.3 billion yuan, and the year-on-year growth rate plummeted to a historic low of 4.9%. Both household and corporate loans experienced sharp declines, reflecting a frozen willingness for private sector investment and consumption.
On September 14, at the All-In Summit in Los Angeles (hosted by Chamath Palihapitiya, Jason Calacanis, David Friedberg, and David Sacks), Trump called Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, who was on stage, and Huang answered on speakerphone. Trump first teased Huang for being able to build the most complex chips but failing to manage the speakerphone, then addressed the recent opposition surrounding data center construction and AI safety, calling it all a 'scam.' He accused the opponents of 'playing right into someone's hands' and hinted that the opposition might be linked to political forces or China, stating, 'We won't let that happen.' Huang replied, 'You're right, sir, we won't let that happen,' and expressed his commitment to ensuring everyone in the U.S. wins in the AI race. Trump emphasized that the U.S. must beat China in AI innovation, calling data centers 'the oil of the next 20 to 25 years.'
US Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall publicly admitted at a conference in National Harbor, Maryland, that the US Space Force currently possesses space control weapons deployed in orbit. This is the Pentagon's most explicit public statement to date regarding the US's deployment of weapons in space, aimed at protecting joint forces from threats posed by hostile adversaries.
China's central bank released August financial data. New renminbi loans nationwide totaled only 59.1 billion yuan, while household loans fell by a net 202.9 billion yuan.
The first two MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones sold by the United States to Taiwan conducted their maiden test flights in Taiwan's eastern airspace on September 14. This model possesses real-time search and patrol capabilities both above and below the sea surface, with a monitoring radius of approximately 360 kilometers.
During the Owen Summit in Los Angeles, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang took a call from President Trump on stage and put it on speakerphone. During the call, Trump publicly stated that current criticisms regarding AI safety are a hoax.
US LNG exporter Venture Global has signed a new purchase and sale agreement with China Gas Holdings Limited. Under the agreement, China Gas will purchase 500,000 tons of LNG annually for a term of 20 years, bringing its total contracted off-take volume to 2.5 million tons per year.
US Vice President J.D. Vance said on September 14 that he hopes to ensure wise AI regulation while maintaining America's leading position.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York has filed a lawsuit seeking the forfeiture of approximately $61 million in cryptocurrency, alleging it is linked to Iran's illegal laundering of black market oil funds through two Chinese companies.
A knife attack occurred near Gaogou Xintiandi Plaza in the University Town of Panyu District, Guangzhou, where a 35-year-old man randomly attacked young women with a small knife. Police said the injured were treated and their lives are not in danger.
Organization department heads in Jiangsu, Fujian, Shanxi and other places have been adjusted in rapid succession, and most of the new officials have backgrounds in the Hu-Wen and Li Keqiang factions.
According to Reuters, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) has been intensively instructing banks to raise the foreign exchange hedging ratio for enterprises, lifting the national average to around 35.3 percent and coastal export-heavy provinces to above 40 percent.
Liu Kai, a 20-year-old college student in Beijing, used circumvention software to follow anti-CCP influencers on YouTube and downloaded videos to share with classmates. He was criminally detained by the Haidian Branch of the Beijing Public Security Bureau on suspicion of inciting subversion of state power.
Ren Zhengfei's younger daughter publicly attended a film promotion event in Beijing, which is seen as a partial response to rumors that Ren Zhengfei's whole family fled China.
Anna Yao, daughter of Huawei's founder, attended a public event in Beijing on September 14 and released promotional photos, after which she sparked controversy online over her remarks.
On September 12, 2026, Hebi Foreign Language Middle School in Henan Province forced students to stay after school for extra classes on weekends and holidays, claiming they were ‘voluntary’. Dissatisfied with the school's closed management, students in uniform gathered at the school gate, and several high school students climbed the iron fence to climb out of the campus. The on‑site video spread online and was soon blocked and removed by the platform.
On September 11, 2026, a Douyin user uploaded a mash‑up video tagged with “cannibalism”, “capital”, and “the poor”, showing the harsh lives of impoverished groups in China through multiple scenes. The video received about 101,000 likes and 16,000 shares on the platform. Afterwards, the platform reviewed the comment section, deleting many comments; by the deadline only five comments remained visible. The incident reflects the platform’s strict censorship of sensitive content.
On September 12, 2026, two scholars from Guangdong published a quantitative trade model study in the peer‑reviewed journal Southern Economy. The study estimates that if the United States and China completely sever economic and trade ties, both superpowers would be harmed, while the overall economic gains of most other countries, including Southeast Asia, would increase. The research further notes that these gains are fragile; if those countries also cut economic links with China, the prior gains would quickly turn into losses.
On September 10, 2026, a Douyin user waiting at a hospital saw a man slap a woman sitting in a wheelchair with his palm, the sound extremely loud. The woman had a needle in her hand, picking up a shoe from the floor while retorting, “You keep hitting, hit me to death.” The man then snarled, “It cost me several thousand yuan to bring you to the hospital; believe it or not, I’ll kill you when we go back.” The netizen said the woman seemed accustomed to being beaten. No follow‑up handling of the incident was seen.
On September 10, 2026, during the auto parts expo held in Frankfurt, Germany, several Chinese participants ate the Chinese boxed meals provided on site and subsequently experienced vomiting, diarrhea and other symptoms, with preliminary suspicion of food poisoning. On-site staff did not immediately disclose the exact number of cases, and those affected have gone to local hospitals for treatment. German health authorities have intervened to investigate.
On September 11, 2026, the Douyin platform cleaned the comment section of the Tianjin University of Technology military training performance “Tank Formation” video. After the video was posted, the comment section saw multiple netizens use “June Fourth” to allude to the 1989 Tiananmen incident, sparking heated discussion. Douyin subsequently deleted all related comments, resulting in the comment section being emptied, without providing an official explanation. This action was seen as online censorship of sensitive political topics.
On September 11, 2026, the Hong Kong High Court sentenced leaders of the Alliance for Patriotic Democratic Movements of Hong Kong (ADPL), Lee Cheuk-yan, Chow Hang-tung, and Albert Ho Chun-yan, to five, six, and seven years in prison respectively for subversion of state power. The Hong Kong SAR government and the Legislative Council subsequently issued statements firmly supporting the verdict and accusing the US, the West, and overseas organizations of slander and smearing. Police Commissioner Raymond Siu warned that there are still hidden criminals. The EU issued a statement saying the trial was politically motivated and warned of damage to Hong Kong's rule of law reputation; the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights called for the abolition of the penalty and demanded that the National Security Law comply with international human rights standards.
On the evening of September 12, 2026, homeowners in the Cuiping Bay community of Baqiao District, Xi'an protested against unreasonable property fee charges. Video from the scene shows the owners shouting "Is there any law?" before police used violent methods to maintain order and arrested several protesters. The incident was shared online by netizens, who accused the police of abusing their authority.
According to a Bloomberg report on September 14, as the U.S. and Chinese heads of state are expected to meet in late September, China purchased at least 1 million tons of U.S. soybeans last week, bringing total purchases to over half of its annual commitment. China Gas also signed a 20-year liquefied natural gas purchase agreement, though tensions between the U.S. and China persist in areas such as AI and arms sales to Taiwan.