A nation that cant keep warm.
The week's news at a glance.
China
Li Xing
China Daily
March can be pretty cold in China—even indoors, said Li Xing in Beijing’s China Daily. That’s because the nation’s central heating system, “a remnant of the planned economy,” shuts down in the middle of March by government decree, no matter what the weather. In a year like this one, with nighttime temperatures remaining below freezing in many areas, the arbitrary date can be not only frustrating but hazardous. And that’s just for those lucky enough to be on the grid. It’s worse in rural areas, off the grid, where the only option is to burn coal, causing countless cases of carbon monoxide poisoning each year. The entire fifth of the country south of the Yangtze River hasn’t been hooked up, either. The temperature there hovers around 50 degrees in winter, which evidently is deemed warm enough. The reality is that the government simply can’t guarantee heat as a right provided by the state. As China modernizes, we will have to pay for utilities ourselves. That’s why “it will take years before most of us can even dream of enjoying central heating.”
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
-
'The House under GOP rule has become a hostile workplace'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
The Shohei Ohtani gambling scandal is about more than bad bets
In The Spotlight The firestorm surrounding one of baseball's biggest stars threatens to upend a generational legacy and professional sports at large
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Feds raid Diddy homes in alleged sex trafficking case
Speed Read Homeland Security raided the properties of hip hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published