Not your typical China demolition story. In this case, the petitioners are Chinese Australians. The question: Does it matter? From the New York Times:
Beijing observed the one-year countdown to the 2008 Olympics on Wednesday night with fireworks and pageantry at a celebration in Tiananmen Square. A few blocks away, Sun Ruoyu and her sister saw the streaks of color in the sky but did not dare leave their battered home.
They were on a countdown of their own.
The two-story building where Ms. Sun’s ancestors opened a bakery in the 1840s ” their clientele included the Qing emperor and his court ” has been on Beijing’s demolition list since Monday. Local officials have notified the Sun family that the building is along the route of the Olympic marathon. Land is needed for a beautification project. A bulldozer is parked outside. [Full Text]
