What's happening in China?

[onawah]

Did China’s Former Premier Speak the Forbidden Truth About Its Population?
Lei's Real Talk
408K subscribers
Jan 15, 2026

"A short clip of my interview with Danny Jones sparked a global debate about China’s population—but new claims raise even bigger questions. Did China’s former premier privately reveal that the country’s real population is far smaller than reported? This program examines the controversy surrounding China’s population data, the legacy of the one-child policy, COVID deaths, and why the truth about China’s demographics may be Beijing’s most sensitive secret."

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=TRVaBkLEkh0

************

Why Dark Humor Has Become China’s Safest Protest
Lei's Real Talk
408K subscribers
Jan 16, 2026

"In today’s China, protest no longer looks like marches or slogans. It looks like dark jokes, viral apps, boycotts, and bitter laughter. From quit-smoking movements to the sudden popularity of a chilling app called “Dead Yet?”, and even a crying horse plush toy that went viral, young Chinese are expressing despair through mockery. This episode explores why people are laughing while crying—and why that may be more dangerous to the regime than open anger."

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=IFn1bDSNRnI

[onawah]

While the CCP has long been inflicting insane blows abroad to the countries where they are building their disastrous B&RI projects, it appears that the victims of the CCP are beginning to strike back, both abroad and in China itself.

CCP Allies Crumble, Global Anti-China Fury Erupts in Mass Protests
China Today
12.2K subscribers
Jan 17, 2026

"
🌏 Main Coverage:
0:00 intro
1:13 Allies of the CCP Crumble in Chain Reaction: Global Wave of Anti-China Fury Erupts, Protests, Riots, Kidnappings, and Street Chases Target Chinese Nationals Worldwide.

9:31 The Republic Restoration Party Rises, Chinese Citizens Launch DIY Weapons Surge in Prep for Uprising!

15:11 Argentina Rips Up China Deals, Axes Major Dam Projects and Deep-Space Observatory — President Javier Milei Emerges as the CCP’s Worst Nightmare in Latin America.

19:34 Xi Jinping’s “East Rises, West Falls” Narrative Unravels as China’s GDP Illusion Collapses, Echoing the Soviet Path. "

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=-zsBqlyURaQ

[Johnnycomelately]

Am conflicted on this one. It’s a VERY well done documentary of travel and several work endeavors in southwest China, near the borders of Tibet and whatever Burma is called now. A commenter with Chinese script moniker says it was filmed 18 years ago (responding to several questions in the first ~20 comments.

18 years ago, China was booming, and becoming more free (ref TCS, Winston & Matt). This might make sense of the complete absence of mention of any government., but it could as well signal propaganda.

The channel, Deadliest Roads, this is the only China road they’ve covered since I’ve been on their feed. I’ve only watched one vid through, the Madagascar one that got me to sub. Skipped most of the ensuing ones, probs because they always sound depressing.

Anyways, now I suspect that DR is fake, made by AI. Anybody care to chime in? Lovers of China or sceptics of their gov, analysts of AI or anthropologist hobbiests. This is really a charming view, full of details of workaday and culture. L = 49:45.

Am reminded of Sun Tzu, “Look good when you are lacking, dismal when things are going right”.

BTW, ST (pronounced “soon-tza”) told of the sending to an opposing commander a sealed vessel of customary wine before a battle, but it was urine. The enemy was enraged and charged immediately, and his army was slaughtered. Deadly tricky.

China's Dragon Road - Deadliest Roads

Deadliest Roads
1.28M subscribers

Jan 17, 2926.

In the south of China, in the Guizhou province, mountains cover 90% of the land. Within these mountains two of the regions most vital and abundant resources are found: bamboo and coal. Both are essential for industrial development, revenue, construction material and food. However, the only way to bring these materials to the masses is to transport them down the mountains' crumbling cliff sides.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=D8qfKJYP5C0

[onawah]

China is Practicing for Something Worse - Once You See It, You Can’t Unsee It - Episode #299
The China Show
377K subscribers
1/23/26

"HUGE EPISODE! - Some horrible mysterious happenings in China - but also - 2 rocket failures. China's biggest steel group explodes. Then it explodes again in a completely different area. China uses information warfare at Davos against the USA and SO much more."

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=0s4LflU_KEw

(Some history about the CCP's attempts to get a foothold (and more) in Greenland in this week's China Show, including the CCP's current attempts in a segment starting at 1 hour 27 minutes into the video.)

[norman]

That southern province of China, Yunnan, has a lot of beautiful countryside and the people who live there seem wonderful. If the state of the world wasn't as stressed as it is and I was 20 years younger I'd love to go there of a very long holiday.

This video by the YouTube channel "Little Chinese Everywhere" was made during some downtime while the host recovered from a broken foot from a scooter accident. She usually made short videos as she travelled around because she couldn't do that for several weeks she dug out all the raw footage and made a set of longer videos from it. The continuity of her original travel vlogs was lost in this version because she made each one of the set become an area by area set.

This one that covers the Yunnan province (down near Burma and eastern Tibet) was my favourite by far. It's hers too. If you watch it I think you are as likely to fall in love the area as much as I did. It's a bit of a shame she starts with the northern and least charming bits first which could be offputting for people with short patience. The parts of it she recorded in the tea producing villages and the rice village are, for me, the absolute sweet spot in the video. The rural people in those places seem a million miles from the Beijing/Shanghai image of China we westerners are more familiar with. I'm a small town kind of guy so I might biased.


China's BEST Province To Visit - Yunnan I S2, EP117

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=Y8f4TQBUHss