Cash-strapped Chinese county sparks outcry by spending millions to host TV show (opens in new tab)

A county in eastern China’s Zhejiang province has landed in hot water after spending over US$1 million of public funds on hosting an episode of a hit television show, sparking public backlash at a time when regions across China are grappling with an economic slowdown and mounting fiscal pressures. Jiangshan – a small county that until last year was listed among the least developed in Zhejiang – spent 8.5 million yuan (US$1.26 million) to get the team behind the reality TV show Keep Running to...