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Jan 24 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
Beijing 2022 vs 2008: Two Olympics and two very different Chinas... a piece by me. bbc.co.uk/news/world-asi…
Interested to hear from others in #China who were also here in 2008 what they make of the differences between the #Beijing of then and now and the Olympic ambiance of 2022 v 2008. (Below is my piece from today) “Two Olympics and two very different Chinas” bbc.co.uk/news/world-asi…
BTW yes I realise the twitter link has 2018 instead of 2008 for some annoying reason. (I’m now talking to your subconscious: Unsee! Unsee!).
The headline in the Twitter link now seems to have been fixed. Beijing 2022 vs 2008: “Two Olympics and two very different Chinas”... bbc.co.uk/news/world-asi…

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More from @StephenMcDonell

Stephen McDonell Profile picture
Jan 24
After a weekend of mass #Covid testing in #Beijing, there is a lot more today. Whole housing communities are being told to be tested, in some cases twice in two days. Officials at one compound told me this was not because of infected residents but as a precaution. #China
Some context: #Beijing’s Games in 2022 compared to the atmosphere in 2008. #China. “Two Olympics and two very different Chinas” bbc.co.uk/news/world-asi…
You can see from the video above that there is a very high proportion of people wearing masks in #Beijing, even outdoors (in the case of this clip, 100% of people). #China
Read 7 tweets
Stephen McDonell Profile picture
Jan 23
Lots of #Covid testing going on across #Beijing this weekend. #China
Many housing compounds are requiring people to be tested. In answer to those asking about home testing, that’s not available/recognised here. You have to go to an official testing place but there are lots of them in #Beijing and they’re pretty efficient. #China
There was also a shopping centre requiring everyone to be tested in Shuangjing area yesterday. Sometimes these compounds and shopping centres have mass testing because an infected person, or a close contact of theirs, visited. #Beijing #China
Read 7 tweets
Stephen McDonell Profile picture
Jan 21
Friday track this week is an Aussie classic which featured in the great movie The Dry (which I saw recently) to great effect. First the original:
Here's another link for those who couldn't open it:
And here's a taste of the track being sung by BeBe Bettencourt in the movie The Dry. Beautiful, heart wrenching:
Read 4 tweets
Stephen McDonell Profile picture
Jan 3
When athletes arrive in #China for the #Beijing2022 Winter Olympics they’ll be able to zoom out to the mountain venues inside a high-speed train bubble keeping them separate from the general public. Their whole time in China will be in a #COVID19 bubble so no quarantine necessary ImageImage
Visiting athletes will get a taste of the arid beauty of the landscape north of #Beijing. In #China people live everywhere and here too there are new apartment blocks going up.
Well the last train outta Taizicheng’s almost gone. From tomorrow this high-speed train station in the heart of the Chongli mountain area will be closed to the general public & only serve #Beijing2022 athletes, officials etc til the Winter Olympics is over so get out while ya can
Read 4 tweets
Stephen McDonell Profile picture
Dec 31, 2021
Take a peak inside #China’s growing stand-up comedy scene, with plenty of surprises. Our story from today: bbc.co.uk/news/world-asi…
If you’re in #Beijing some time you can catch a show from @AlexandraShi who features in our story today on #China’s stand up comedy scene: bbc.co.uk/news/world-asi…
One of the factors leading to more English language stand up comedy in #China has been the existence of English language open mic nights. This is how @AlexandraShi who features in our story got her start. bbc.co.uk/news/world-asi…
Read 4 tweets
Stephen McDonell Profile picture
Dec 29, 2021
#Xian #COVID19 outbreak update. Official numbers are showing no sign yet of a downward curve in infection numbers in the city. In recent weeks, the official figures have recorded around a thousand infections with symptoms which must mean no easing up on the lockdown there yet?
Today another 155 new local #COVID19 infections with symptoms in #China’s Shaanxi Province. This takes the official total, since 9th of December, to 1117 in #Xian. No easing of a strict lockdown in that northern Chinese city yet with those numbers.
The #Xian lockdown has also become more strict in recent days. Officials have stopped letting 1 person from each household leaving to buy supplies every 2 days. Because the announcement came quickly people are all over social media there saying they’re desperately short of food.
Read 4 tweets

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