Once-thriving northeast factories waylaid by ’90s economic reforms as millions of former ’employees-for-life’ laid off.

Once-thriving northeast factories waylaid by ’90s economic reforms as millions of former ’employees-for-life’ laid off.

Small individual investors making up 80 percent of the market have taken a beating during the massive stock slide.

The world’s biggest producer and consumer of the metal sees a golden opportunity to expand its pricing power.

Demand for coffee soars in China where imports of the brown bean have nearly tripled in recent years.

Despite slowing economic growth across the country, Chinese internet companies experienced record revenue.
![Alibaba employees celebrate as the first trading of shares begins on the New York Stock Exchange [EPA]](/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/2014123092322781734_20.jpeg?resize=270%2C180&quality=80)
Demand for discount travel reaches dizzying heights, as 415 million Chinese are expected to fly annually by 2016.
![China's government is planning to build 82 new airports as part of its five-year aviation plan [AP]](/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/2014617123753877734_20.jpeg?resize=270%2C180&quality=80)
Ancient tradition of honouring dead relatives is marred after millions of tombs were razed or disrupted by officials.

Activists fight for LGBT rights as pressure to produce offspring pushes country’s gay males to marry unsuspecting women.

Demand for European-style help is on the rise, yet language barriers may see more locals training in the art.
