Open Writing

As somebody remarked the other day, if you removed the Chinese signs in Beijing you quite easily be in a typical American city.

Beijing is a modern, vibrant city where capitalism embraces communism with an economic policy which, from the outside, appears to be working successfully.

There is also an ever-changing skyline with the scale of the building to be seen to be believed bearing in mind the first skyscraper was not erected until 1985.

Since then Beijing has changed out of all recognition as huge swathes of the old city have been replaced by state-of-the-art and innovative buildings with futuristic designs.

That is something Michael Church, the Press Association’s Far East correspondent has noticed in more than a decade working in the region.

He says every time he visits Beijing he is struck by the changes adding that in the 12 months in the build up to the Olympics the pace had gathered even more momentum.

It would be fascinating for anybody who had visited Beijing in the 1980s to return today and see the transformation.

Having travelled extensively around the Chinese capital – the road system also appears styled on America as the highways are wide and straight as an arrow - I have been struck by how little of the old remains. You pass the occasional little enclave which looks like a glimpse back to yesteryear.

They have been replaced by hundreds, may be thousands, of tower blocks which provide decent housing. It would be impossible through the lack of land to provide houses for everybody in Beijing given the size of the population.

And though it may only be basic accommodation, it at least looks to be of a good standard and, from the outside, you don’t seem to see any apparent poverty. It cannot be easy for the Government to provide homes and amenities for a population so vast.

They also have to be applauded for trying to make Beijing a green city as they appear mindful of environmental issues.

Housing so many people is a challenge but there are also plenty of green lungs in the city with tree planting almost on the same scale as the building work.

The Chinese are also heavily into recyling which is undoubtedly a key issue when you look at how much waste a population of one billion plus generates.

And with such a huge workforce available and the labour costs a fraction of those in our country, it is hardly surprising everything is labour intensive.

In the restaurant at my hotel there is often a dozen or more girls working, and it is a self service breakfast buffet menu. Most stand around doing nothing and back home a couple of staff could easily do the same work.

Likewise, those on security at the hotel often number between 15 and 20 when a couple could easily do the functions they have to perform.

The challenge for the Chinese will come if and when labour costs rise and they are forced to scale back the numbers employed.

It is amazing to see the type of jobs which have been created. There is an underpass near my hotel and a woman is employed full time to keep it tidy. She has her own little room and, in fairness, it is spotless.

The surrounds to the highway link from the aiport as well as most other roads in the city are beautifully manicured with floral and topiary, a contrast to home where they ressemble wildernesses.

In the Olympic Green – where many of the Olympic venues are located – I have seen men on their hands and knees weeding late at night with street lamps providing the only lighting.

It is hardly surprising China has such a vibrant economy because the cost of living is only a fraction of that in Britain, It is no wonder they can produce goods so cheaply.

Petrol is less than 50p a litre and a 50-minute taxi ride the other day cost £4. I remember one late-night one in London earlier this year being £45 for half an hour from Euston to Wembley.

And travelling on the subway costs two Yuan a trip which equates to about 14p for a journey of any length. That is a stark contrast to the cost of the London Underground.

In the Food Hall at the Olympic media centre you can eat like a lord for a couple of pounds.

Those who visit London in four years’ time will find the prices hard to stomach with London now one of the most expensive capitals on the planet.

Martin Rogers, from Yahoo Sports, regaled me how he and two colleagues ate out at a restaurant and the bill for the three of them, together with drinks, came to £9. It seems unbelievable in this day and age.

And you only have to visit places like Yashow Market to see how cheaply you can live. I spoke to a Canadian journalist who came with one empty suitcase specifically to buy clothing and footwear for his family.

But with brand names going for knockdown prices, you have to wonder how much, if not all, of the gear is fake.

Still, it is enlightening and a trip to Yashow Market is a cultural experience with the sales pitch on a scale which has to be experienced to be believed with stall holders, mainly young girls, often physically grabbing hold of you to force you to stop.

While Beijing is essentially a modern city it has preserved its historic past and it has been fascinating to step back into yesterday with visits to the Forbidden City, Summer Palace and The Great Wall, a World Heritage Site, and 6,700 kilometres in length along the northern frontier of the ancient Chinese empire.

The Forbidden City was home to 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties and was built by over 200,000 workers over a 14-year-period.

And Tiananmen Square is the heart of Beijing and the largest public square in the world covering 44 hectares – over 100 acres – and measures 880 metres long and 500 metres wide.