China Travel Wire

The second part of the multi-part series, “China after the Olympics.” [Read Part 1] China’s development has captivated the entire Western world, and for good reason. China has forged a development plan that has nurtured staggering levels of growth and lifted hundreds of millions of people out of poverty since the onset of reforms [...]

市场 shì chǎng One of the most exciting activities any foreigner will experience in China is the market. Though the images of towering glass office buildings, decorative malls, and streets lined with pricey Western apparel may be the most common narrative and iconic image of China’s development being exported to the rest of the world, China [...]

Chinese provincial museums are unique in that they specialize in local history, from the earliest times to the modern era. Not all provinces and cities have their own museum, or one that is open and not under renovation during your visit. If they do have one, definitely reserve about a half day to explore their [...]

The Chinese government faces a paradox on the eve of the commencement of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing: it needs to project a friendly image of openness to Western visitors and journalists, while maintaining tight security in one of the most challenging environments faced by any government. The Olympics is one of the [...]

Any trip to Xinjiang will inevitably begin in either Turpan or Urumqi (乌鲁木齐), depending on if you travel by air or land – both regions are in the Central Eastern part of the province, in close proximity (roughly 2.5 hours by bus), and must-visits. For those taking the Silk Road trek through the Gansu corridor, [...]