Since ‘opening up and reforms’, Beijing has taken on a new look almost on a daily basis and stands out as a destination not only for tourists but also the world trading community. The city’s economy has really grown in the last eight years showing double digit growth especially during the Olympic period. The city has witnessed fast and sound development in the high tech, service, and other sectors.
The Zhongguancun area in the North West part of the city is the place where talent and technology are concentrated.
China’s own Silicon Valley is based here. Unlike other capitals in the world, Beijing has a strong industrial base ranging from iron and steel, machine building, petrochemicals, electronics and textiles. The focus has now shifted to high and new tech industries: IT, optical-electro mechanical integration, bio-engineering, new pharmaceuticals and new materials.
The city of 16 million people is not as polluted as other Chinese cities. Down any cross road, bylane or main, one can see a flow of bicycles like a riverine as the citizens of Beijing have whole heartedly embraced the concept of cycling. A practical and inexpensive mode of transport, in fact this has reduced pollution to a large extent. There are exclusive bike lanes that are full of cyclists as major traffic lanes are swarming with cars. The growing middle class in this ancient city has taken to cars.
The city is a safe and secure place to live, work and travel around free of the threat of muggings, rapes and other kind of violent crimes. To maintain the city’s public health and order, sleeping in an airport, bus or railway station, dock, sidewalk, cross walls, subways, tunnels, green spaces or any other public venues is prohibited.
Beijing is considered to be a shopping paradise with tourists purchasing silk apparels, pens, pearls, toys and leather handbags. The “Silk Street” is one such place which is popular with the tourists. Thronging with buyers of all hues and colours, one has to push and make through the crowds eagerly going through the various sections. Each floor of the “Silk Street” is earmarked for a particular section like textiles, toys or leather goods. The busiest business streets are found in Wang Fu Jing, Xidan or Jianguomen. The Hongqiao Market, Silk Street, Yashow Market, Hailong, Top Electronics City, Gaobeidian Market are some of the well-known places for bargains on electronics items, antiques or textiles. Considered a great place for shopping, branded commodities are available at Lufthansa Youyi shopping centre, China World Shopping Mall, Scitech Plaza, the malls at Oriental Plaza.
The Chinese love to quote high prices almost five to eight times more than the actual price. Now, with the help of a calculator and not knowing a word of English, they see their ware to the unsuspecting customer. Most of the shop owners are ladies.
Calling and attracting the attention of the tourists in their squeaky voices ringing in high decivels, they manage to sell their goods at a price acceptable to both the buyer and seller. All the bargaining is done on the calculator with the “ladies” quoting unimaginably high prices and the customer punching back the required digits to show their acceptance or rejection.
This bargaining on the calculator without talking is hilarious to watch as it goes on and on in almost every shop in this exclusive Mall. Buying electronics goods or textiles is very dicey in Beijing as lot of fake ones are traded for global branded items. One has to be very careful when it comes to Chinese mobile phones as they are available dead cheap. Fake, Nokia brands are very common and they are liable to break into two halves when you start operating it. A branded tee shirt which is available in Beijing for 40-50 yuans is also available for the same price of 300-350 rupees in Bangalore or Delhi. But the quality of the Chinese tee shirt is pretty bad whereas in India, it is not only durable but of good quality.
The only items that one should purchase on a visit to China is either the traditional crafts item or the silk materials. Don’t fall a prey or become a victim to the display of mobile phones, ipods, cameras or any other electronics goods. They are all very slick and showy but of bad quality and conks off in a month or two.
But, one thing you have to give it to the Chinese, the way they have planned the city and imposed mandatory policies pertaining to habitation, cleaniness and discipline in the capital city. It is amazing that Beijing housing a population of more than sixteen million still looks less crowded than Mumbai or Delhi.
One does not see people hanging out on the streets or pavements of the city or jostling crowds unlike our own metros. This great, industrial, political, cultural and historical hub of the country has seen and witnessed many a dynasty rule from the Quings to the Mings but today under the communists achieved a lot except freedom to think, decide and opine.