Bowled over by Beijing

Oct 17 2008 By Nick Craig

My recent visit to post-Olympics Beijing was made all the more remarkable because for the first time in 25 years of travelling to the city, I could actually look at the mountains that surround the Chinese capital. It sits in a bowl which has been filled with soupy smog for decades. The radical laws enacted to reduce pollution for the all-important Games were effective enough to extend the horizon many miles - for a few weeks at least.

During the week I was there, the clampdown on cars and factories was relaxed. Grey skies were beginning to roll in and the mountains retreat as the week wore on. Since my return a new trial has begun, banning cars from Beijing’s clogged roads five days a week. If it can be made to work, it’s very good news.

The Olympics has had a profound impact on the city. The physical legacy is extraordinary – three-quarters of the vast sum invested by the Chinese was spent on infrastructure such as new subway lines, airport, upgrading buses and introducing cleaner technology. These bring long-term benefits for residents and visitors.

What struck me more forcibly was the genuine welcome I was given by Chinese people throughout my stay. Even going through immigration at the airport was a pleasant, friendly encounter – the most enjoyable I’ve had at any airport anywhere in my life. The solicitous approach continued throughout my time in the city, with everyone keen to do as much as they could to make my stay as positive as possible.

The stunning main Olympic venues are even more spectacular at close quarters. Vast, original, bold designs dominate the area close to the city’s centre. Around them is the Olympic Green – a large, beautifully planted area which is an astonishing addition to the formerly cramped conditions of Beijing.

It has already changed the way in which Beijing people are spending their spare time. As in many European cities they are chatting and relaxing in the large squares and parks which open up the city and introduce significant green spaces.

Despite the extraordinary venues, landscaping and infrastructure which have transformed Beijing, what stays in my mind most was the consistent, genuine welcome from everyone I met.

Cash-strapped London 2012 should make a visitor-friendly capital one of its main priorities. It could become our most enduring legacy.