Amid record youth unemployment, the government wants young people to ‘go to the farmland’ – but the prospect is unappealing for many

Wanted: recent graduates keen to gain experience in a teaching environment and an adventure far from home. Perks of the role include hands-on experience, CV fodder and, most importantly, job security. Cons include long hours, low pay, limited social life and poor infrastructure in remote locations (running water not guaranteed).

This is the offer facing China’s graduating class of 2023: decamping to work in impoverished rural areas. But many young people are not convinced.

Schools and businesses closed, trees uprooted and power lines disrupted as storm blows in

Typhoon Doksuri swept into China’s south-eastern Fujian province on Friday, bringing heavy rain and violent gusts of wind that shook power lines, uprooted trees and forced factories and shopping centres to shut.

The second strongest typhoon to land in Fujian after the deadly Typhoon Meranti in 2016 also forced the closure of schools and the evacuation of workers from offshore oil and gas fields, state media reported. There were no immediate reports of injuries or fatalities.

Foreign ministry spokesperson comments on speculation a day after refusing to answer questions about ex-minister

China’s ministry of foreign affairs has labelled speculation over the whereabouts of Qin Gang as “malicious hype” while continuing to refuse further details about the missing former foreign minister.

At a daily press conference in Beijing, the ministry’s spokesperson, Mao Ning, said China had released information about Qin “in a timely manner”. “We consistently oppose malicious hype of this matter,” she said.