Northeast China, historically known as Manchuria which consists of the provinces of Liaoning, Jilin, and Heilongjiang, always seems to be a bellwether for developments in the country, especially in terms of economic, demographic, and social trends. Many things done by Northeasterners that were ridiculed early on have since become common phenomena throughout the rest of China….

After the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) announced that “all counties previously designated as impoverished in the country have been removed from the poverty list,” a video uploader “Mocha” from Liangshan Prefecture in Sichuan Province was found to have died of poverty and illness. The state media quickly “dispelled the rumors,” claiming that “Mocha” is under…