Editor’s note for Monday, October 25, 2021

My thoughts today:

China’s reshaping of the education industrial complex continues: Beijing has passed an education law “that seeks to cut the ‘twin pressures’ of homework and off-site tutoring in core subject.” Meanwhile, companies are falling into line: Online education group Koolearn Technology, a subsidiary of pioneering education firm New Oriental, said today “that they will stop offering subject-based off-campus training services for students of K-9.”

Today is the 50th anniversary of Resolution 2758, the United Nations decision to recognize the government of the People’s Republic of China as “the only legitimate representatives of China to the United Nations.” Last night, current affairs comedian John Oliver did a segment on Taiwan’s strange and awkward position in the international community that’s well worth watching.

“​​The magnitude of this [is] mind-boggling” said Parsifal D’Sola, China research director at the Fundación Andrés Bello in Bogotá. “Read this before your next bite of calamari,” said Joshua Goodman of the Associated Press. They’re talking about Goodman’s investigative piece for which he tracked Chinese vessels fishing squid off both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of South America.

Upcoming events:

• October 27: Join The China Project and the Penn Wharton China Center’s panel of cryptocurrency experts as they break down China’s future role in the world of crypto.
• Only three days left to get early-bird tickets for the Day 2 in-person session of the 2021 NEXTChina conference. Day 1 is online and free for everyone to attend from anywhere. Be sure to reserve your spot now!

Our word of the day is average yet confident men 普信男 pǔ xìn nán.

—Jeremy Goldkorn, Editor-in-Chief