With a huge population, and a booming, but still underdeveloped economy, the Chinese have opted for a get-rich-first lifestyle, after which they may think about protecting their environment. It is a curious fact that in a country so proud of an artistic and literary heritage extolling the love of natural beauty, even the most emblematic places are not safe from litterbugs who choke gardens, hills,...

With a population of almost 11 million, Beijing is one of three special metropolitan areas in China (the others are Shanghai and Tianjin), separate from provincial control. As the national capital, Beijing is really in a special category of its own. While Shanghai and Guangzhou, among other cities, are far more vibrant economically, Beijing is the city of grace and style, lavishly endowed with the...

Chengdu is the capital of Sichuan province, an area of west central China noted for its mild climate and fiery food, as well as for being the home of China’s rare and endangered pandas. Chengdu’s great moment in history passed more than 2,000 years ago: in the 4th century BC it was capital of the Kingdom of Zhou.

The Portuguese settled in Macao during the mid-1550s. Today, 95 per cent of its population is Cantonese-speaking Chinese. The remainder is mostly Portuguese, with a sprinkling of other foreign nationals. A reclamation project is under way to convert Taipa and Coloane Islands into one island, making space for the new Macao International Airport and increasing the territory’s land area by 20 per...