CAPITAL BEIJING - POPULATION 1.4 BILLION - AREA 9,326,410 SQ KM -OFFICIAL LANGUAGE MANDARIN
Everything is on a grand scale in China: the Great Wall, the Yangzi River, the 2008 Olympics and, of course, controversy. China's position on Tibet has made it a big target for the international media, but travellers remain intrigued by the Middle Kingdom. After the celebrations of 2008, Beijing is a truly international city with more English spoken and modern transport links. Beyond the capital, Shangai's World Expo 2010 will draw millions to the southern city known for economic success, flamboyant arts and spacey architecture. Another southern star is Sichuan's Chengdu, which is repairing itself after devastating earthquakes in 2008 � a popular spot for spicy cuisine and panda watching.
TIBET
CAPITAL LHASA - POPULATION 2.9 MILLION - AREA 1,221,601 SQ KM -OFFICIAL LANGUAGE MANDARIN
In the news for its troubled relationship with China, Tibet seized upon the 2008 Olympics as a chance to take its struggle for independence to the world. Tourism became easier with a new rail line from Golmud in China, though many observed that trains can transport troops as easily as tourists. Should you go to Tibet? With regular media and tourist lock-outs, it's more a case of whether you can. Maintaining international attention on the Central Asian region and witnessing the unique culture and spectacular landscapes of the country will certainly do much to make the independence cause more widely known.
HONG KONG, CHINA
Hong Kong out loud
The mood in China's most liberated city is edgier and more vocal than ever. In recent years it has experienced a flourishing protest culture, with greater numbers of young and middle-class citizens taking to the streets. Rallies are infused with theatrics and eruptions of song, dance and poetry, reflecting the city's vibrant indie music and literary scenes. This will be a particularly exciting year for Hong Kong, as it continues its march towards full democracy with a new model for its legislature - the new assembly will have the power to implement full public elections, so far an evasive ideal for the city's inhabitants. So is 2012 as good as it gets? Hong Kongers are not holding their breath, but they certainly dare to hope.
The city is also lending its voice to the past. You can kowtow to kung-fu heavyweight Bruce Lee, with an exhibition on the legendary fighter at the Heritage Museum, while celebrated film director King Hu (A Touch of Zen) gets his own retrospective at the Hong Kong Film Archive (both planned for 2012 at the time of writing). For some light relief, check out the antics of Ocean Park's newest guests, Arctic penguins. |
