on the music industry? The aesthetic that she shaped of her own free will all those decades ago has become the sexist and exploitative raunch culture in which young women aspiring to a career in popular music find themselves trapped. The following account in Marie Claire last year makes for grim reading:

‘It’s late evening in a London studio and filming on a teenage pop singer’s first video has halted. Her manager, an executive from her record label and the director – all male – are huddled round a laptop, looking at footage of her and discussing their displeasure in tones they make no attempt to hush. The star herself sits alone and crying on the other side of the room, wearing hotpants, a bralette, and sky-high stilettos …Following its Nasdaq debut, China's social e-commerce star Pinduoduo is mired in a storm of criticism over counterfeits

By Deng Yaqing | NO.32 AUGUST 9, 2018

Pinduoduo employees celebrate the firm's Nasdaq listing on July 26 in Shanghai (VCG)

Just when everyone thought China's e-commerce market was being dominated by Alibaba and JD.com, a dark horse emerged from the shadows and blazed a trail into the trading spotlight amid a wave of criticism.

On July 26, Pinduoduo, an online discount shopping platform, was listed on the Nasdaq at $19 per American depositary share (ADS) and closed at $26.7 per ADS, soaring more than 40 percent on its first trading day. The stellar performance has elevated Pinduoduo into the ranks of top Chinese Internet tech firms like Alibaba, Tencent, Baidu, Xiaomi, JD.com and