China Insider

News.

What we're reading, writing, and arguing about — every week.

Fashion

Alo Yoga Just Officially Entered China — Lululemon, You've Been Put on Notice

Alo Yoga — the brand you've seen on Hailey Bieber, Kendall Jenner, and Jisoo roughly a thousand times — has officially entered China.

Jun 272 min read
Travel

Shanghai Hongqiao Airport now has a waiting lounge for pets

Shanghai Hongqiao Airport now has a waiting lounge for pets, because apparently cats and dogs also deserve better airport vibes.

Jun 251 min read
Food & Beverage

KFC and aespa Just Dropped a $8.60 Combo That Comes With Unreleased K-pop Photocards

Here's a sentence I never thought I'd write: K-pop girl group aespa now has an official fried chicken bucket named after them. Welcome to 2026.

Jun 252 min read
Food & Beverage

Wendy's Is Coming to China After 30 Years – But Can It Actually Survive?

Wendy's, the US burger chain that's been "one of the big three" alongside McDonald's and Burger King in America, just announced they're finally coming to China.

Jun 252 min read
Food & Beverage

Pop Mart just opened a dreamy dessert shop in China's most aesthetic seaside town

POP MART has opened its first permanent POP BAKERY store in Aranya, Qinhuangdao, and it is not exactly trying to be subtle.

Jun 243 min read
Retail

A shopping mall brought in 40 tons of mud for an indoor rice-planting contest

A shopping mall in Ningbo just turned one of China’s most familiar farming scenes into a full-scale indoor spectacle: rice planting, but inside a mall.

Jun 233 min read
Marketing

Taobao's AI Will Try On Clothes for Your Dad So He Doesn't Have To

Dads. They'll fix a leaking roof solo, argue with strangers online, and refuse to go to the doctor for years — but ask them to step into a fitting room?

Jun 232 min read
Sports & Wellness

Steph Curry's $400M Li-Ning deal is basically highway robbery (in Li-Ning's favor)

Li-Ning just signed Steph Curry to a 10-year, $400 million deal, and honestly? They basically robbed the man.

Jun 232 min read
Entertainment

GODIVA Teams Up With Toy Story 5 for Premium Chocolate Adventure

After 7 years, Toy Story 5 is finally hitting screens globally on June 19th, and premium chocolate brand GODIVA is celebrating in the most delicious way possibl

Jun 231 min read
Entertainment

China Eastern turned a regular flight into a Toy Story 5 experience

A domestic flight from Shanghai to Chengdu has suddenly become one of the most charming film promotions in China this summer.

Jun 203 min read
Food & Beverage

China’s biggest civil war is back: sweet vs savory zongzi

Today is Duanwu Festival, better known internationally as the Dragon Boat Festival.

Jun 192 min read
Marketing

MINISO's World Cup Ad Has No Athletes In It — That's Literally the Point

While other brands were busy dropping bags on footballer endorsements for the 2026 World Cup, MINISO took one look at those budgets and said: no thanks.

Jun 192 min read