Based in Shanghai, NPR foreign correspondent Louisa Lim finds China a hugely diverse, vibrant, fascinating place. "Everywhere you look and everyone you talk to has a fascinating story," she notes, adding that she's "spoiled for choice" of stories to cover. In her reports, Lim takes "NPR listeners with me to places that they never knew existed. I want to give them an idea of how China is changing and what that might mean for them."
Recent Stories
One person who plans to meet with President Obama during his trip to China is his half-brother, Mark Obama Ndesandjo, who lives in China. Ndesandjo has recently released a semi-autobiographical novel, revealing the abusive nature of their father.
One young woman in Shanghai is among those eagerly awaiting President Obama's upcoming visit to China. Lou Jing's mother is Chinese and her father is African-American. Her appearance on a TV talent show has sparked vitriolic online racist abuse — and debate over what it means to be Chinese.
The Walt Disney Company says it has finally won approval from the Chinese government to build a Disneyland in Shanghai. In a statement, Disney's chief executive Robert Iger said it was a very significant milestone. Disney cartoons are shown on Chinese TV, and its products sell in 6,000 outlets across the mainland.
In the 40 years since the birth of the Internet on Oct. 29, 1969, the Web has transformed how we live our lives. It has also spawned a new class of celebrity: the blogger. Three bloggers — one in London, one in Shanghai, China, and one in Mumbai, India — share their stories. Philip Reeves Louisa Lim, Vickie Barker
President Obama's envoy for climate change has dashed hopes of a bilateral deal on climate change during next month's presidential trip to China. "There is no agreement per se," said Todd Stern, adding that there had been no intention of cutting a separate bilateral deal.
New statistics show that China's economic recovery is picking up. The figures released Thursday show that China's economy grew by 8.9 percent in the third quarter, the fastest pace of growth for a year. But analysts worry that the momentum may fade.
Meng Jinghui is China's most avant-garde theater director: One of his plays focuses on the obsessive love of a rhino keeper. Now, he takes a stab at reinventing the musical with a story that deals with murder, death and "people collapsing in this ridiculous society."
The chasm between North Korea and the United States sometimes seems insurmountable, especially on questions of history — and the way it's portrayed in North Korean propaganda. In the U.S., the Korean War is known as the Forgotten War; in Pyongyang, it is the Victorious Fatherland Liberation War.
The regime of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il appears to be rolling back reforms and putting succession plans on hold. Speculation has been swirling about whether the ailing Kim has anointed his youngest son as successor. But, as NPR's Louisa Lim reports — after a rare five-day visit to North Korea — Kim Jong Il now is back on center stage.
President Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao meet in New York Tuesday in an attempt to prevent a major trade war. Tensions have mounted over stiff import duties the U.S. slapped on Chinese tires more than a week ago. The Chinese fear other countries will follow the U.S. lead.
The Founding of a Republic, an epic, star-studded movie, is a centerpiece of the propaganda strategy ahead of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. But it contains some interesting ideological spin on history.
Described as the Kentucky Derby, the Olympics and Christmas all rolled into one, Mongolia's Naadam is an 8-centuries-old celebration of heroism and masculinity. The festival's horse-racing, wrestling and archery competitions are a unifying force for the country.
Mongolia is better known for its ancient "throat" singing, practiced by the shamans in the time of Ghengis Khan. But in a country where almost 60 percent of the population is younger than 30, hip-hop has become an effective way of making political statements and carving out a new Mongolian identity.
A World Health Organization report notes that alcohol abuse could be Mongolia's biggest stumbling block to economic and social progress as it drives up crime rates and creates public health concerns. Critics also say alcohol is too plentiful and the government is too reliant on revenues from alcohol sales.
The International Monetary Fund has declared the worst of the global recession over, but that's not the case in Mongolia, where the financial crisis hit later than in the U.S. And a plunge in commodity prices — especially metals and wool — is having an enormous impact.
