Every day, Epoch Times compiles a list of must-read articles for readers:
1.
Several regions in mainland China are requiring citizens to turn in their passports. Lawyers say this is illegal.
Recently, in some areas of China, citizens have been required to “temporarily store” their passports and provide advance notification for personal travel abroad. These measures are mainly implemented in regions such as Gansu and Guizhou. The Chinese authorities have not issued any public documents or legal basis for this, but at the grassroots level, residents in many areas have confirmed that these requirements are being enforced. Some lawyers believe that such actions clearly cross legal boundaries.
2.
Natural diamonds no longer hold their value. A 18,000 yuan diamond ring was bought back for only 180 yuan.
Recently, the world’s largest diamond producer, De Beers, announced a price reduction for diamonds once again. Since reaching its peak in 2022, the diamond industry has been experiencing a prolonged period of deep adjustment due to factors such as a slowdown in global luxury consumption and the rapid popularization of lab-grown diamonds. Multiple real cases from mainland China show that diamond rings purchased at high prices a decade ago have significantly depreciated, with some cases experiencing devaluation as high as 99%.
3.
An employee of a Beijing company repeatedly stole cherries from a supermarket after work.
Recently, a staff member of a supermarket in Chaoyang District, Beijing, reported that cherries in the store were frequently stolen. Surprisingly, the suspect turned out to be a company lawyer with a decent monthly income, and she has since been criminally detained.
4.
Real estate prices in 70 Chinese cities continue to decline, with a difference between official statements and market sentiment.
Recent official reports on real estate in China have repeatedly signaled that the “mainland property market is stabilizing after hitting bottom.” Apart from official statistics, some Beijing self-media bloggers have sparked discussions around property price trends and the current status of the real estate industry, attracting attention from the market.
5.
Catholic personnel in mainland China are required to hand over their passports.
On December 16, 2025, the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association and the Bishops Conference of the Catholic Church in China jointly passed an internal management regulation requiring all Catholic personnel in mainland China to deposit their passports for going abroad and undergo strict approval. Some Christian believers have heard recently that the “Three-Self” church is also discussing the formulation of a similar model, but specific details are yet to be obtained.
6.
A player from Hubei collapsed and died during a marathon event in Chongqing.
Recently, a player from Hubei suddenly collapsed while participating in a marathon event held in Chongqing, and despite being rushed to the hospital for treatment, he could not be saved, drawing attention to the incident.
7.
Analysis: China’s plummeting birth rate, what does it signify?
On January 19, the National Bureau of Statistics of China announced that the birth rate in China for 2025 was 7.92 million, down from 9.54 million in 2024, marking the lowest level in decades. At the same time, China’s total population has been declining for the fourth consecutive year, reducing by 3.39 million people last year, the largest decrease since China’s total population began to decline in 2022.
8.
A baby boy in Henan developed severe pneumonia and both lungs turned white after playing with a “kinetic sand turtle”.
Recently, a 6-month-old baby boy in Zhengzhou, Henan, developed severe pneumonia and both lungs turned white after playing with a “kinetic sand turtle” toy, leading to his admission to the emergency room.
9.
Chinese officials claim Ye Wenbin was “actively participating in fraud,” raising doubts.
A single mother from China went to Cambodia last year to search for her missing 19-year-old son, Ye Wenbin, and publicly sought help from the Chinese Ambassador Wang Wentian, but she returned home without finding him and was reportedly restricted from leaving the country. Authorities recently announced that Ye Wenbin actively attempted to go abroad illegally to make quick money, was released from a phone scam operation, and upon returning to China, was immediately detained. However, internet users questioned the official explanation.
10.
Rumors suggest that Chen Liangyu has been released from prison for nearly half a year, involving embezzlement of social security funds and sentenced to 18 years in prison.
It is the 20th anniversary of the Shanghai Social Security Fund case outbreak, with over 20 officials and businessmen imprisoned back then now gradually completing their sentences, including former Shanghai Communist Party Secretary, Chen Liangyu. There are reports indicating that he has been released from prison for nearly half a year. Chen Liangyu was said to be a close ally of the former CCP leader, Jiang Zemin, and it was alleged that he concealed the facts in the social security case and received a lenient sentence because it involved Jiang Zemin’s son and the entire “Shanghai clique.”
11.
[Crossroads] Massive population decline, mysterious disappearance of Chinese people.
The CCP announced a fourth consecutive year of population decline, why are Chinese people disappearing? Is the CCP’s claim of a population of 1.4 billion people fabricated? The aging population in China is accelerating, facing five major impacts.
12.
Amid a wave of unemployment, Chinese state media lauds the “street vendor economy,” but street vendors lament the intensifying competition.
In 2020, the then Chinese Premier, Li Keqiang, proposed that the “street vendor economy” is the “vitality of China,” but was met with skepticism by Chinese state media. With the Chinese economy showing little improvement over the years, the “street vendor economy” has quietly made a comeback. The CCP’s magazine, “Half-Month Talk,” recently published an article praising the “street vendor economy,” but vendors complain about the tough competition and the challenges they face.
13.
Yonghui Superstores closed 315 stores in 2025, with a 45% increase in losses.
Yonghui Supermarket Co., Ltd. announced on January 21 that the net profit attributable to the shareholders of the listed company is expected to be a loss of 2.14 billion yuan in 2025, an increase of 45.6% compared to the previous year. During this period, 315 stores were closed. This comes after Yonghui Supermarket learned from another supermarket, Pindao, and underwent adjustments and transformations, but the effects have not been as expected.
14.
The opening ceremony of the Seventh NTD Oil Painting Competition Finalist Exhibition.
On the evening of January 20, the finalist exhibition of the 7th NTD Global Realistic Portrait Oil Painting Competition in 2025 opened at the Salmagundi Club in Manhattan, New York. The organizers selected 78 finalist works out of over 400 entries for the exhibition; around 60 painters from 18 countries will be attending the exhibition and the awards ceremony on the 22nd.
15.
Afghanistan Chinese restaurant attacked. Analysis: CCP policy causing harm to Chinese nationals.
A Chinese restaurant in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, was hit by a bomb attack on January 19, resulting in at least 7 deaths. The ISIS branch in Afghanistan later claimed responsibility and stated the attack was due to the CCP’s policy towards Xinjiang. Experts warn that CCP policies in Xinjiang and the “Belt and Road” strategy are exposing Chinese nationals and projects to security threats abroad. However, the CCP is reluctant to join international efforts to combat ISIS.