China’s leadership is gathering this week in Beijing to prepare another five-year plan, and affirm president Xi Jinping for another five-year term. Journalist Ian Johnson looks for the New York Times at the new role China is playing in the world. “His China could become a model for digitally driven authoritarianism around the world.”

Protestantism, Buddhism and Taoism grow fast in China, but followers of the Catholic faith are dwindling.  Author Ian Johnson of The Souls of China: The Return of Religion After Mao reports from the countryside on why Catholicism finds it harder to find a solid footprint among Chinese looking for moral values, for the America Magazine.

China has lifted hundreds of millions out of poverty and president Xi Jinping vowed to give the last millions of poor also a better life. Economics professor Sara Hsu of the State University of New York explains in CCTV what the country’s receipt for poverty relief has been.

The world looked with awe when Alibaba’s chairman Jack Ma performed as Michael Jackson during a massive show for employees and customers last week. But Chinese tycoons like to put up a show, says Beida business professor Jeffrey Towson to CNN. Western CEO’s seldom let themselves go (perhaps with the exception of former ABN Amro CEO Gerrit Zalm).

Strippers are invited at funerals in Taiwan, drag queens in Sichuan. Author Ian Johnson of The Souls of China: The Return of Religion After Mao discusses at ChinaFile how those drag queens are rooted into society.

China single’s day (28 August) triggered off a range of commercial activities. Business analyst Shaun Rein looks on AFP at the industries focusing on this attractive target group. Women play a key role in consumer spending, he says.

Communication in China has changed into a completely different ball game, most Western visitors fail to get. Especially the blurring line between personal and business communication is key to understand, says business analyst Shaun Rein at Knowledge CKGSB. For example for recruiting.

Bike sharing has met mixed reactions in China, including Beida professor Paul Gillis, who wondered earlier this year whether the investments made business sense, while they are already expanding internationally. The business case still has to be proven, Paul Gillis now admits on North Carolina Public Radio, bike sharing has changed his urban life for the better.

Author Zhang Lijia of Lotus: A Novel on prostitution in China discusses Buddhism, freedom and fun as part of the background for her book with Radii China. “Without the inhibition of writing in my mother tongue, I can take an adventure in my adopted language” .

The Honor of Kings, a uniquely popular online game, is profoundly changing the Chinese society, says social media expert Matthew Brennan at eMarketer. Launched in November 2015 by tech giant Tencent, it even triggered off concerns by China’s leadership.