China’s Political Discourse May 2021: From “Involution” to “Lying Down”

By China Media Project

May was a very active month in terms of hot topics in the Chinese media and online. As the results of China's Seventh National Population Census were released, this prompted sometimes heated discussion about the country's population policy and future social and economic prospects. Right at the end of the month, all of these questions crested – with much frustration, and no shortage of humor – over the government’s announcement of a new "three-child" policy. 

A pair of tragedies in May also drew widespread attention. These included the death on May 10 of a student from Chengdu No. 49 Middle School who mysteriously fell from the 4th floor of the school building, an incident that drew harsh criticism from internet users owing to the government’s lack of transparency. This tragedy was followed on May 22 by the death of 21 participants in an ultra-marathon event in Gansu province, which brought a swirl of accusations over the organizers' poor preparation and the lagging rescue effort – as w…