Month: June 2021

Jun 3rd 2021 AS BIRTHDAY PRESENTS go, a 435km railway line that is expected to open this month in Tibet will be among the most lavish. To seekers of high-altitude thrills, it is one that will be cherished. The 37bn-yuan ($5.7bn) track extends from the region’s capital Lhasa eastward to the city of Nyingchi, which is Tibetan for “Throne of the Sun”. It is the region’s first electrified railway; its trains will be Tibet’s fastest. Officials call it a gift for the Communist Party’s 100th birthday, which will be officially…

Jun 3rd 2021 BEIJING FOR A GENERATION, China’s government had ordained that “one child is enough” for married couples. Then, in 2016, it allowed them to have a second. On May 31st the ruling Politburo declared that a further relaxation of birth-control regulations would help China to achieve its goal of “coping” with a rapidly ageing population—a pressing task. It called for a three-child policy. Some parents will respond with glee, but most will shrug. Listen to this story Your browser does not support the <audio> element. Enjoy more audio…