Hear why the Chinese are plumbing for Changsha, the capital capital of central Hunan, instead.

Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times chats with ST’s correspondents in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe, about life as it goes on, amid the screaming headlines and bubbling crises. 

In this 26th episode, ST’s foreign editor Li Xueying chats with ST’s China correspondent Aw Cheng Wei about the allure of Changsha. 

Located in the heart of middle China, Changsha is usually under the radar for those outside of the country. But for the Chinese, it is instantly recognisable as the scenic backdrop for many popular shows produced by Hunan Television’s Mango TV. 

Its reputation as the “Chinese Hollywood” aside, Changsha has become the go-to destination for those who seek a laidback lifestyle with decent living standards and affordable property prices. What does its appeal say about the aspirations of many Chinese today? 

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:09 The charms of Changsha

5:05 Why Changsha’s property prices baulk the nationwide trend of housing prices in free fall

7:00 What accounts for Changsha’s fairly robust economic growth in Changsha, and how representative it is about the trajectory in middle China

9:30 A favoured destination for remote workers, post-Covid

Read Aw Cheng Wei’s article here: https://str.sg/iGjn

Produced by: Li Xueying ([email protected]), Ernest Luis and Fa’izah Sani

Edited by: Fa’izah Sani

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Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

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