Daily Epoch brings you essential articles for readers to read behind the Great Firewall:
1.
【Exclusive Interview】Doctor from a Top Hospital in Guangzhou Dies from COVID-19
Amid the resurgence of the new wave of COVID-19 (CCP virus) in mainland China, the actual infection rate and scale are widely believed to far exceed official reports. Recently, a doctor from a clinic in Guangzhou disclosed to the Daily Epoch that doctors from a top hospital in the area have rapidly died after contracting COVID-19, causing panic within the industry. The firsthand experiences of residents in Guangzhou and Shenzhen are starkly different from the official narrative of “trending towards improvement,” with many believing that the authorities continue to cover up the truth about the epidemic, leading to a highly opaque information environment where the public remains largely uninformed.
2.
Hair Salons and Rice Noodle Shops Thriving in Mainland China: a Sign of Downgraded Consumption
Is the Chinese economy currently recovering? A recent article titled “Observing Economic Recovery through Small Incidents around Us” published by WeChat public account “Advancing Forward 2020” attempts to argue that the economy is on the path to recovery through micro observations such as the reopening of shops in urban villages, thriving business in hair salons and rice noodle shops. However, this article has sparked huge controversy among readers, with many netizens “contradicting” the author’s viewpoint, pointing out the one-sided observation. The feedback from readers with the most likes indicates that the high foot traffic in hair salons and rice noodle shops is actually a sign of downgraded consumption.
3.
Former Soldier from Troops Involved in June 4th Incident Struggles Due to Illness, Writing Memoir
As the 36th anniversary of the “June 4th” incident approaches, the plight of Zhang Shijun, a former soldier expelled from the CCP military for refusing to suppress students during the event, has once again garnered attention. Last August, the 55-year-old Zhang suffered a sudden heart attack but was forced to discharge early and unable to complete formal procedures due to his inability to afford the exorbitant medical expenses. His medical insurance account has long been in arrears, leading to even the minimum coverage being suspended, making it difficult to sustain medication costs. He is now working on completing a personal memoir about the martial law in Beijing in 1989.
4.
Explosion in High-tech Zone in Shandong Resembles an Earthquake: Residences Left with Only Window Frames
A deafening noise from Youdao Chemical Co., Ltd in Gaomi, Shandong, instantly resulted in a tragic loss of life. This explosion, akin to an earthquake, not only shattered the glass windows and doors of nearby commercial and residential properties several kilometers away but also caused the windows of residential buildings about a kilometer from the epicenter to crash down, leaving them with just the frames. Helpless residents whose homes were destroyed cried out, “One deafening noise, and our home is gone.”
5.
Absence of Xi Jinping’s Family at the Opening of Guanzhong Revolutionary Memorial Museum Raises Three Major Anomalies
On the 23rd anniversary of the death of Xi Jinping’s father and CCP veteran Xi Zhongxun, on May 24, 2025, the “Guanzhong Revolutionary Memorial Museum” in Fuping County, Shaanxi, was inaugurated. The three major anomalies once again reflected Xi Jinping’s declining position.
6.
WHO: New Variant of COVID-19 Causes Increase in Cases in Some Regions
On Wednesday, May 28th, the World Health Organization (WHO) stated that with a new variant of the virus beginning to spread in some regions globally, COVID-19 cases are once again on the rise. This increase in cases is mainly concentrated in the Eastern Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, and Western Pacific regions.
7.
Analysis of the Realm of “Forbearance” in Tang and Song Poetry
The realm of “forbearance” in Tang poetry represents a profound realization by poets of the hardships of life, societal realities, and spiritual transcendence, with its connotations divided into three levels.
8.
Chinese White-collar Incomes Slashed, Financial Industry “Deteriorating Like an Avalanche”
The wave of salary cuts in the Chinese financial sector has been ongoing for three years and is currently deteriorating. Salary reductions, layoffs, anti-corruption efforts, and political restructuring are still ongoing, as this once prosperous industry is losing its prestige and allure, highlighting a dim scenario amidst the economic changes in China.
9.
Analysis: Apart from the Trade War, the CPC’s Three-step Espionage Warfare against the US
As the US-China trade tariff war intensifies and military competition escalates, espionage warfare is quietly underway.
10.
Key Housekeeper of Wang Xiaohong Reassigned from Beijing, Power Struggle with Cai Qi Draws Attention
Rumors of Xi Jinping’s declining power have been circulating recently, with personnel changes occurring in key departments controlled by Xi’s confidants, including the reassignment of Hu Binchen, the close aid of Wang Xiaohong and Assistant Minister of Public Security, from Beijing with an unclear position. Some analysts suggest that due to Xi’s loss of power, Wang Xiaohong still harbors ambitions for a higher position. His rivalry with Cai Qi, who controls the Central Security Bureau, in the struggle for monitoring power over the CCP leadership, may escalate into a fierce fight.
11.
Undermining Corruption in China’s Vehicle Inspection Industry: From Falsifying Data to a Network of Graft
In China, every motor vehicle is required to undergo a compulsory “annual inspection” each year. While this system was designed for public safety, it has been eroded by layers of corruption and unspoken rules, forming a vast chain of interests. A former industry insider, An Qiang, who worked in a car inspection station for over a decade, recently revealed the shocking reality of systemic fraud and collusion between officials and businesses.
12.
Illusion of Hot-selling Used Cars in China: “Zero-Kilometer Second-hand Cars” Exposed
The Chinese automobile market has faced challenges in recent years due to economic downturns and intensified competition, leading automakers to engage in price wars to boost sales, resulting in the emergence of the chaotic phenomenon of “zero-kilometer second-hand cars.” Wei Jianjun, Chairman of Great Wall Motors, publicly exposed the unwritten rules in the industry, pointing out that numerous Chinese second-hand car trading platforms and thousands of merchants are suspected of falsifying sales data, stirring controversy within the industry, drawing significant attention.
13.
Decoding the CCP’s “People’s View” through Senior Officials’ Remarks
Australian legal scholar Yuan Hongbing, citing sources from the second generation of “Reds” who were purged by Xi Jinping, revealed to overseas media: Xi demanded the entire party to reiterate Mao Zedong’s “Theory of Protracted Warfare” to address Trump’s tariff war. Simultaneously, Politburo Standing Committee member and Director of the General Office Cai Qi stated during a high-level meeting to assess the US-China tariff war, “We have overcome even economic disasters like three consecutive years of natural catastrophes, what can’t we overcome?”
14.
Byd China’s Shandong Distributor Defaults, Shocks Automobile Industry
The collapse of fund chain in Jinan-based core distributor Jiancheng in Shandong province owned by Byd has shocked the automobile industry. This incident not only reveals the survival challenges faced by distributor groups under the backdrop of fiercely competitive pricing wars in the current Chinese automobile market but also highlights the severe reality that over 80% of distributors are deeply entangled in the quagmire of “price inversion.”
15.
CCP Promotes Internationalization of Yuan: Expert Believes Conditions are not Yet in Place
The Shanghai Futures Exchange (ShFE) announced on the 27th that it will propose opening domestic futures to overseas investors and brokers, claiming it as an effort to promote the internationalization of the yuan. On the same day, the Bank of China supported the hosting of a seminar on the interconnection and cooperation of debt markets between China and South Africa, with the Chinese side also claiming to facilitate the internationalization of the yuan.