China is trying to build more public spaces, but who has the right to use them—and how—remains contested
Lin Qiuming couldn’t tell if she was out for a stroll, or starring in a spy movie. Throughout May, the young journalist had gotten used to dodging roving guards and blocked-off paths whenever she came to the Liangma River—one of the only outdoor hangouts still available in Beijing during a Covid outbreak that month—in search of the bench or tree where she’d agreed to meet a friend or an interviewee. “It was like we were using code; it felt very surreal,” she tells TWOC.
Parks, No Recreation: The Battle to Access China’s Public Spaces is a story from our issue, “Public Affairs.” To read the entire issue, become a subscriber and receive the full magazine.
Anita is a researcher at The World of Chinese. She is interested in stories that involve gender inequality, social issues, as well as current affairs. She is also passionate about the development of subcultures in Chinese society.
