As China basked in the successful launch of its second manned space flight, a “sacred and glorious” mission beamed live to hundreds of millions of television viewers Wednesday, Li Jing wasn’t watching.
“The space program is fine, but they should take care of us farmers first,” said Li, 42, gazing into the sky above the
Beijing vegetable market where she cycles every day with her husband and two children to sell leeks and other produce. “Life is really tough for us.”China’s Shenzhou-6 launch highlights the contradictions in a nation that is gaining economic, diplomatic and scientific clout while 200 million people of its people still live on less than $1 a day, according to World Bank 2004 estimates. It comes as the communist government also struggles to deal with a growing number of violent protests by its poorest citizens.
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