Background: For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing the rest of the world in the arts and sciences, but in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the country was beset by civil unrest, major famines, military defeats, and foreign occupation. After World War II, the Communists under MAO Zedong established an autocratic socialist system that, while ensuring China's sovereignty, imposed strict controls over everyday life and cost the lives of tens of millions of people. After 1978, his successor DENG Xiaoping and other leaders focused on market-oriented economic development and by 2000 output had quadrupled. For much of the population, living standards have improved dramatically and the room for personal choice has expanded, yet political controls remain tight.
March 22nd 2008Asia » China » Yangtze River » Shennong Stream We were warned about not drinking too much this morning as the toilets on the ferry are "squatties". We take a ride down the Shennong Stream where we transfer to peapod boats. Teh Shennong Stream is ... [full story]
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