Lavender Au

In Chinese culture, the U.S. economy and consumer lifestyle have always seemed “hopelessly far ahead,” @lavender_au argues—but in recent years, the script seems to have flipped: theatlantic.com/international/…

Although “people in China are acutely conscious of the limits of permissible speech,” @lavender_au writes, Chinese students living in the United States never expected to be contending with similar worries: theatlantic.com/international/…

Talked about romance and copy culture with artist Sun Yitian for @artnews artnews.com/art-news/artis…

‘This is the first time that many ordinary Chinese and ordinary Americans have had direct conversations, unimpeded by the Great Firewall.’ Lavender Au on the influx of ‘TikTok refugees’ on the Chinese app RedNote, from the blog: lrb.co.uk/blog/2025/janu…

Parental support is crucial in China, where trans people need parental consent to undergo gender-affirming surgery and change their legal gender—even as adults, @lavender_au writes. Published in collaboration with @thedialmag. foreignpolicy.com/2025/01/23/chi…

3/ In China, the U.S. election is “tea table gossip,” an entrepreneur, whose circles include factor owners and investors, told @lavender_au. People “mostly focus on the funny bits,” he said. thedial.world/articles/news/…

The retail apps have exploded in China and internationally thanks to bargain-basement pricing. But a potential import crackdown from the US and other countries could slow the momentum. wired.trib.al/IjfAmCR

1/ Our latest issue, “America,” explores how the U.S. presidential election affects the rest of the world, and the many ways the U.S. shapes political and cultural debates beyond its borders. thedial.world/issue-21

"LinaBell is an unfamiliar phenomenon for the custodians of the world’s most famous rodent: Mickey is a small mouse in a big pond." @lavender_au @thedialmag #longreads thedial.world/issue-17/shang…

1/ At Shanghai Disneyland, Mickey is a small mouse in a big pond. The star is a pink fox little-known outside of China: LinaBell. @lavender_au visited the theme park to understand the successes and failures of the entertainment conglomerate in the country. thedial.world/issue-17/shang…

1/ Our latest issue explores our relationship with land — how the places we come from shape the world we live in. Over the course of the month, we’ll bring you stories from Italy, Austria, China, and more. thedial.world/issue-17

China has its own mind when it comes to Disney. Wrote about how trad Disney is out, and a pink fox with no backstory is taking over for @thedialmag thedial.world/issue-17/shang… #disney #china

As smartphone costs fall and society becomes more atomized, China’s elderly are using apps like Douyin to find connection and companionship. Many feel they have no choice. wired.trib.al/qDTXX4l

Chinese artificial intelligence startups say uncertain regulation, chip shortages, and a slowing economy will make it tough to compete. trib.al/foWeIUX

“A major Japanese company will announce an ambitious large-scale project that will create a valuable economic zone in the metaverse,” Japan's PM Kishida @kishida230 said at @WebX_Asia. By @lavender_au. trib.al/FXtZ9yw

Sat down for 🥟 with HK’s most vocal LegCo member when it comes to #web3

Myanmar's shadow government is set to start a neobank to help in the fight against the country's military government. The bank will run on @0xPolygon and do currency swaps via @Uniswap. @lavender_au reports trib.al/Rqj4ZuR

@jerallaire says @circle is considering issuing a stablecoin in Japan and interested in partnerships there. By @lavender_au trib.al/WRI3Brv

Great to moderate at this year’s @EthereumSH Joined by speakers from @ChainIDE @masknetwork @Consensys and many more.

After three years of exile in Tokyo clubs, Muay Thai rings and fish farms, Jack Ma, Alibaba founder has returned not as an entrepreneur, but as a teacher. wired.trib.al/FBOJpet