Beijing’s Quest for 2008: To become simply livable

Mariam Ahmad

Dr. Stephen

Soc 202


Current Event 4


Beijing’s Quest for 2008: To become simply livable


In the year 2008 the summer Olympics will be held in Beijing, China. Beijing must renovate


72 sports stadium and training facilities, lay asphalt for 59 new roads and complete three new


bridges by the opening ceremony.


Beijing is clotted with gridlocked traffic as the number of cars has doubled within six years.


Air quality has decreased drastically. Beijing continues to rank one of the worst cities in the world


for clean air. The city’s water supply has come down to rationing it out amongst the people.


It is uncertain whether Beijing’s theoretical embrace of “liviability” can be translated into real


improvements in quality of life in a city that often feels like a big construction zone.


Critics are skeptical. They attribute Beijing’s current predicament to previous failed


planning policies and blame the government for the rampant development that has destroyed much


of the historic old city while making a mess of the emerging new one.


Mr. Wang said Beijing never recovered from 1950's, when Liang Sicheng, the country’s


pre-eminent architectural historian, warned that destroying the hutongs would lead to traffic and


pollution and urged Mao to preserve Beijing’s ancient city walls. Instead, Mao demolished them


as symbols Chinese feudalism.


China is in the midst of one of fastest periods of urbanization in history, with 300 million


people expected to migrate to cities in the 15 years. The population of Beijing alone could surpass


21 million by 2020 if its growth still continues.

The ruling Communist Party considers the Olympics to be modern China’s coming out


party to the rest of the world, and Beijing is looking toward 2008. The government has stipulated


that major construction projects in the city be completed several months before opening ceremony.


The spike in private automobiles the number is now approaching three million detracts from


gains made by reining in polluting trucks and taxis. Private cars increasingly seem to be overwhelming


the city, and officials are responding with a flurry of road building, even as subway lines and light


rail are also being expanded.


Basically, the article is talking about how China is in trouble with there population and how


its still growing with no boundaries. 2008 the summer Olympics will take place in Beijing China. But


the article is saying how China is so overpopulated that they will experience extreme hardships.