Every winter Chinese authorities receive numerous online complaints related to heating. In the past, central policies ignored complex local conditions. The desire of local leaders to reach their performance targets has added fuel to the problem. How did this situation come about? How did local governments respond? And why are environmental and energy goals so difficult to integrate? – by Jenny Li Jie

Stereotypes are crude. Yet, they safeguard us from drowning in an ocean of complexity. Especially with regards to China, to peek behind the veils of stereotypes can be unsettling. But it also means to dive below the surface and to resist the temptation of oversimplification. In this sense, I would like to invite you to an act of resistance. – by Lukas Knoflach