Viet Gong say Sinki is eating lousy rejected durian from Tiongkok, like that Sia suay or not?

k1976 said:

Villagers shiver in China’s north as government gas subsidies shrink​

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Impoverished local governments, energy market reforms and a stalling economy - these are forcing many in rural China to make hard choices about necessities like heating.

PHOTO: REUTERS

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China

Published Jan 15, 2026, 05:00 PM
Updated Jan 15, 2026, 05:12 PM

BAODING, China - As the dry, freezing winter air envelops his home, 72-year-old farmer He Wenxiang sits on a bed wearing several layers of clothing including a black fur-collared jacket and a cap.

He takes a thermometer off the wall that reads about 14 deg C.

Despite outside temperatures of minus 1 deg C, Mr He runs his gas boiler only occasionally to warm up the radiator in his bedroom.


“Life isn’t easy,” he said. “If any colder, you couldn’t take it.”

Mr He is one of several people in his village outside the city of Baoding, in China’s Hebei province south of Beijing, choosing to barely heat their homes because of rising natural gas prices after cash-strapped

governments scaled back subsidies

designed to drive a transition to clean energy.


In another village nearby, a woman who only gave her surname Song stands in the sun in an alleyway selling used electronics.


She said her family pays 8,000 yuan ($1,478) to heat their home for a winter.

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k1976 said:

Changing tastes: China’s new affluent consumers seek quality not extravagance​

Rise of upper middle class reshapes China’s retail market, driving demand for quality goods and creating a battleground for global brands

Chen Hong
Published: 11:30am, 11 Jan 2026

In a premium supermarket in Shanghai one recent weekend, 33-year-old information technology specialist Zhao Wenyu paused in front of the health food aisle, comparing protein content and ingredient lists on imported granola and organic milk – rather than checking discounts.

Zhao now spends around 3,000 yuan (US$420) a month on organic food, nutritional supplements and functional beverages, up from about 1,200 yuan three years ago. “I don’t mind paying more if I am satisfied with the product’s quality,” she said, adding that health and long-term value had become bigger priorities than bargains.

The rise of the upper-middle-income population was fast becoming a pivotal force shaping China’s consumer landscape in 2026, even amid an economic slowdown, according to PwC China. This surge in demand offered significant opportunities for international brands known for their quality and value. However, experts said that winning over this new generation of affluent consumers posed a challenge.

“The Chinese government has identified expanding domestic demand as a top economic priority for 2026,’’ said Carrie Yu, consumer market industry leader at PwC China, adding that this focus was expected to support sectors such as retail, hospitality, and cultural and creative industries.

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