On September 18, at a shopping mall square in Qiantang District, Hangzhou, multiple disabled individuals performing street art came into conflict with security guards and local police. Chaos and chasing broke out on the scene, with someone scattering white powder, drawing a large crowd of onlookers.
On September 19, vlogger "Yulie Qige" reported that, with the cooperation of police from Hubei, Hunan, and Guangdong, a large semi-trailer truck loaded with sulfur was intercepted in Chenzhou, Hunan. Two sulfur-treated bamboo shoot processing dens in Qingyuan, Guangdong, have been sealed, relevant individuals detained, and an investigation is currently underway to trace the distribution of the problematic bamboo shoots. Previous videos showed that these bamboo shoots were abnormally white in color with a strong pungent odor, and were often supplied to large cafeterias.
On September 15, Guangming Daily published an article criticizing cultural and creative products printed with pessimistic 'Sang' culture slogans such as 'May heaven have no KPI', stating that they could lead to the distortion of minors' consciousness and behavior, and calling for regulatory resistance. This move sparked widespread questioning from netizens, who believed that the authorities were confusing cause and effect and ignoring the social root causes of young people's 'Sang' culture, which stems from life's pressures.
On September 19, students at Wancheng Primary School in Wanning City, Hainan Province, demonstrated standardized 'five classroom routine standards' to leaders. The video sparked widespread mockery among netizens online regarding compliance education and mass-produced robots, and the video was subsequently taken down.
Shandong petitioner Zhao Xigao was sentenced and imprisoned for demanding enforcement funds from a won lawsuit. His family accused that his legs and feet severely ulcerated and blackened in prison, and he eventually died behind bars.
On September 4, a video showed a woman operating a machine in a textile workshop with her young child on her back. The surrounding environment was messy and equipment was running continuously, posing serious safety hazards and triggering strong criticism from netizens regarding factory management and labor living conditions.
Late at night on September 19, residents of Poly Philharmonic Town and surrounding communities in the Zhaoqing Hi-Tech Zone gathered in front of Zhaoqing Juyuan Biochemical Co., Ltd. and Zhaoqing Changlong Biotechnology Co., Ltd. to protest. Due to long-term health damage caused by exhaust pollution from nearby chemical plants, they demanded an investigation into the enterprises' illegal discharge. Local police and environmental protection departments arrived at the scene to handle the situation, and there is currently no resolution.
On September 17, the Huai'an Municipal Bureau of Justice in Jiangsu released the results of its solicitation for legislative suggestions on municipal government regulations for 2027. Out of the 150 suggestions received, 148 related to anti-animal cruelty and the management of stray dogs and cats, accounting for 98.7%. Officials stated that relevant suggestions will be evaluated and reviewed.
On September 18, Reuters cited anonymous sources stating that Beijing had proposed holding a China-US CEO roundtable during Xi Jinping's visit to the US, but it was rejected by the White House. Sources revealed that the accompanying Chinese executives are expected to attend the White House state dinner, but will not meet with US think tanks or business groups. The White House declined to comment, and the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated it had no information on the matter.
On September 20, 2026, US Treasury Secretary Bessent and US Trade Representative Greer held talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng at JPMorgan Chase headquarters in New York. The two sides discussed issues including trade, artificial intelligence safety, and rare earth supplies, preparing for the Trump-Xi summit to be held next week.
On the final day of the Russian parliamentary elections, the skies over Moscow were hit by a large-scale drone attack. An oil refinery in the Moscow Oblast caught fire, billowing black smoke, and the area near the Kremlin was also affected.
During a live stream, Biao Jie stated that his video about the Trump-Xi summit received a yellow icon on YouTube, and multiple videos failed to upload successfully. Even a short clip filming roadside scenery was marked as risky. He questioned YouTube's review standards, believing it has compromised with the CCP and may be forced to reduce video production.
Multiple pro-CCP rallies aimed at welcoming the General Secretary's visit to the US were held in Flushing, New York, clashing with dissidents protesting the visit on the street. A pro-communist man was arrested by police for kicking and assaulting a protester.
On the afternoon of September 20, a white Volvo knocked down a bicyclist outside the Baoding Beiguo Xian天下 Plaza before speeding into the interior of the shopping mall, and the driver's whereabouts are unknown.
On September 20, North Korea fired an unidentified projectile toward the Sea of Japan. Subsequently, North Korean state media announced the successful testing of a new important combat weapon system and released photos.
Regarding the compensatory leave arrangements for the 2026 Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day, "boycott consumption during compensatory leave" once topped the Weibo trending list, with netizens advocating for no travel and no shopping during the compensatory leave period.
On the morning of September 20, multiple areas in Yuzhong District and Jiulongpo District of Chongqing experienced prolonged water outages due to the bursting of a water intake pump outlet pipe at a water plant, with some areas taking over 48 hours to restore water supply.
During military training at Hebei Software Institute, a large number of students were seen kneeling and crawling through colored smoke, sparking mockery from netizens.
Multiple netizens posted group notices from Liaoning Normal University stating that participating in school-organized blood donations allows students to apply for up to 13 consecutive days off for the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays.
The Guangzhou Restaurant official flagship store cut the price of its double-yolk pure white lotus paste mooncakes from 137 yuan to 87 yuan in a single day, with the manufacturer's physical goods discounted to below 50% off, cutting off scalpers' buyback channel.
On September 17, media reported that high-speed rail and bullet train discounts narrowed ahead of the National Day holiday, resulting in actual fare increases. 12306 customer service responded that holiday fare fluctuations are normal, triggering public dissatisfaction, with some netizens calling for a boycott through refraining from consumption.
On September 18, multiple employees of Dongguan Shengkai Animation Technology Co., Ltd. gathered on a rooftop to demand unpaid wages spanning from May to September after management became unreachable. Fire departments at the scene laid out an inflatable rescue air cushion for emergency response.
Recently, a conflict broke out between a food delivery worker and a car driver. The driver violently kicked the delivery worker's e-bike, prompting the delivery worker to pull out a knife in a standoff. Eventually, thanks to the persuasion of a woman accompanying the driver, the dispute was calmed down.
On September 16, a netizen shared chat logs from applying for a nurse position, revealing that private clinics engage in illegal hiring practices such as 8-to-10 shifts, one-day weekends, and no social security. Subsequently, multiple nurses chimed in with exposures, stating that during their work in private clinics, they were often required to take on non-medical tasks like cooking, grocery shopping, and cleaning, with extremely low pay.
A delivery auntie shared her daily work routine, showing that she worked until 11:50 PM and earned a total of 197 yuan through two platforms.
On September 17, a food delivery worker in Jiangsu fell asleep from extreme fatigue at a traffic light intersection while making a delivery at 2 AM. The incident resonated with many netizens, as several delivery workers reported suffering fractures from falling after dozing off while riding, reflecting the survival dilemma under high-intensity labor in the delivery industry.
Public commentary points out that Chinese tech companies process data at a low cost by exploiting domestic labor, thereby enabling the distillation and application of foreign artificial intelligence models, which has sparked concerns over technological ethics and labor rights.
On September 18, the first two characters of the propaganda slogan "Serve the People Wholeheartedly" fell off at a cultural and creative street in Jiangxi, leaving the phrase "Serve the People Turtle-Bastard-Heartedly" instead. After relevant videos spread online and sparked ridicule from netizens, they were quickly removed from short-form video platforms.
On September 17, a blogger published a video self-narrating their training experience of wearing high heels during military service, stating they had to run in stiletto heels and stand for long periods, with the hard texture of the footwear causing foot injuries. Currently, the video and the user can no longer be searched.
In a livestream on September 20, 2026, Hu Liren speculated that Xi Jinping's repeated unusual behavior during his India trip and his absence from public appearances for seven days after returning to Beijing were consistent with the characteristics of a minor stroke.
Data from the General Administration of Customs of China shows that China's exports of rare earth magnets to the U.S. in August fell 21% from July to 512 tons. Ahead of a meeting between Trump and Xi, outside analysts suggest the Chinese side may use the expansion of rare earth exports as a negotiating chip. In addition, U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng held a meeting on trade and artificial intelligence issues, and both sides agreed to further consultations.
On September 20, China and the US held 8-hour economic and trade talks in New York. The two sides announced the establishment of an AI dialogue mechanism and a new bilateral trade mechanism, but the US side made it clear that export controls on advanced AI chips and semiconductor equipment are not on the negotiating agenda.
The Beijing airspace control department issued Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) A4484/26, announcing the activation of a 24/7 long-term no-fly zone centered on Beijing with a 300-kilometer radius starting from September 20, covering Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei as well as parts of Shanxi, Shandong, Inner Mongolia, and Liaoning.
On September 20, U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent held a meeting in New York with Chinese State Council Vice Premier He Lifeng on trade and artificial intelligence issues. Bessent called it a very successful engagement and said the two sides agreed to hold another round of talks, but did not disclose further details.
An undercover investigation by Hebei Economic Television found that in Xianyu's pornographic traffic-generation industry chain, some customer service agents claim they can provide minors, with the youngest being only 14 years old, at prices reaching 20,000 to 30,000 yuan.
After the Moscow refinery was hit on September 20, Zelensky spoke with Trump by phone, saying they discussed many issues and agreed to meet in New York, and thanking Trump for arranging visits to Kyiv by Witkoff and Kushner and the signing of the Lindsey Graham Act. According to Axios, Trump asked Zelensky to stop striking Russian refineries to avoid diesel shortages and price hikes; Zelensky said the strikes were aimed at cutting the Russian military's fuel supply, and Trump did not ask him to stop strikes on Russian territory.
Online reports claim that more than 50 cities across the country are simultaneously carrying out crackdowns, closures and shutdowns of entertainment venues, but there is no official source.
Online reports claim that after the Spring Thunder Operation ends, entertainment venues across the country will face a 100-day intensive inspection campaign lasting from now until the end of the year, with continuous checks throughout the period.
According to the Hu Liren program, the US side has arranged for Xi Jinping to arrive at an air base in Maryland on the evening of September 23. Trump said he would personally go to the airport to greet him, but Beijing's Xinhua News Agency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have not yet announced the specific itinerary.
Starting September 20, 2026, China will set up a permanent special airspace restriction zone with a diameter of 600 kilometers and an area of about 280,000 square kilometers centered on Beijing, covering most of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region as well as parts of Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Shandong and Liaoning and the Bohai Sea. Only commercial airliners, approved business jets, and military, police, customs and firefighting flights will be allowed through; the official reason given is the June 26 incident in which a light aircraft struck the China Zun tower.
To pass Walmart's social responsibility audit, Guangxi Wuzhou Tianmijia Bee Industry required employees to memorize false statements to cover up long-term mandatory overtime without days off, wage withholding, illegal employment practices, and lack of fire safety facilities, while also carrying out hasty temporary renovations to cope with the inspection.
On September 20, a netizen shared photos of themselves wiping away pornographic advertisements on a shared bicycle seat. The images show two instances of the phrases "hookup with little sister" and website URLs printed on the seat. After wiping, the text faded significantly but still left traces. #InternationalRelations
On September 20, Li Yun was officially elected as the Mayor of Shenzhen, succeeding Qin Weizhong, who had previously resigned.
On September 20, the School of Mathematical Sciences of Harbin Engineering University reported that, after verification by higher authorities, 20 undergraduates and graduate students used campus network accounts to access overseas networks via VPN on September 18–19, which was recorded by the network security monitoring system. Because it was their first violation and there were no serious consequences, they were given a warning sanction.
According to insiders and residents, on September 20, a couple surnamed Xu in Funan County, Anhui Province were suspected of being stabbed by a woman, and another elderly person died. Police subsequently responded that it was currently inconvenient to disclose the case details.
On September 20, 2026, Beijing time, China Digital Times (@CDT) published a report revealing the list of sensitive words used by ByteDance content moderators. The lexicon contains 5,241 sensitive words, covering political figures and their family members, historical and political events, firearms and other prohibited weapons, as well as various scandals and controversial incidents, exposing the platform's strict internal content control mechanism.
Freedom House released a report titled "The CCP Is Trying—and Failing—to Extinguish Defiance among Chinese Citizens." The report notes that despite the CCP's continued suppression of dissent, the spirit of defiance among Chinese citizens has not been entirely extinguished.
On September 20, 2026, Beijing time, China’s Ministry of State Security and official media blamed foreign forces for interfering in the popular domestic phenomenon of “lying flat.” This official claim was widely mocked and criticized by Chinese netizens, with the relevant comment sections filled with critical and satirical voices.
On September 20, Xiamen Software Vocational and Technical College issued a notice requiring all faculty and students to self-inspect devices such as computers and phones connected to the campus network and uninstall circumvention software; the creation and forwarding of tutorials and nodes is also included in the inspection, with serious cases handed over to law enforcement agencies, and the college also required prioritizing the use of on-campus and domestic academic resources.
US Central Command says that as of September 20 it has rerouted 109 merchant ships to fully enforce the blockade order against Iran; the command's General Cooper also said that over the past few months it has helped more than 2000 merchant ships pass through the Strait of Hormuz.