China's Dangerous Love Affair With Cars

“..a rapid social and economic transformation is under way in urban China, and the car is steering it.”

“China's total road network is the world's third-longest: 1.8m km, with 44% of it built in the past 15 years. Nor will it stop there. By 2020, China plans to double again the length of its motorways.”

“...the rivers of bicycles—once one of the most vivid images of urban China—have been replaced with streets jammed with cars,…”

“The death rate on China's roads is the highest in the world: 680 die and 45,000 are injured every day..."

“China's embrace of the car has been a predictable result of growing urban affluence. But several other factors caused demand in China, …the World Trade Organisation in 2001 required a considerable easing of barriers on car imports. The prices of domestically-produced cars fell rapidly in anticipation of tariff reductions, and have continued to do so by 10% or more a year.”

“Most of Beijing's air pollution is caused by cars. The city is often enveloped in a dirty haze…The government, aware of this, is spending billions to improve public transport in the big cities. By 2008 Beijing is due to have 200km of underground track, double the current length.”

“China has fallen in love with cars; and despite government efforts to cool the passion down, it burns as hot (and as noxiously) as ever.”