‘Iron rice bowl’ vs the algorithm: why China’s economy may better withstand the AI shock
South China Morning Post
by Ji Siqi,Coco Feng,Xinyi WuFebruary 28, 2026
On a day typically considered one of the happiest on the calendar for Chinese workers – the eve of Chinese New Year, when families gather for dinner in the midst of an extended public holiday – the annual Spring Festival Gala, the world’s most-watched television programme, left some in the viewing audience with a sense of profound disillusionment.
As a troupe of humanoid robots break-danced, flipped, swung swords and performed comedy sketches at the gala, domestic AI brands occupied the show’s...
Verticals
worldasia
Originally published on South China Morning Post on 2/28/2026