IF A Martian were to land on earth and be asked, based on effort put into spiffing itself up, which city was the Olympic host this year, there is a good chance it would guess Hangzhou. Rio de Janeiro struggled mightily with its preparations for the summer games, with mixed results. Hangzhou, by contrast, has left no stone unturned, no wall unpainted and no sewer unsealed in getting ready for the G20 Summit, an annual gathering of the leaders of the world’s 20 leading economies. Most hosts treat the G20 as a worthy, if rather dull, conference. But China has approached it with gusto, as is its wont with international events that let it showcase its modernity to the world.
Even if left in its original state, Hangzhou would surely have impressed visiting dignitaries and journalists. Just 40 minutes west of Shanghai by bullet train, it is one of China’s wealthiest cities. The misty waters of West Lake at its heart, fringed by rolling tea fields, have inspired poets for centuries. In recent years, it has become an entrepreneurial hub, most famously as the hometown of...Continue reading
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