Focus

Covering the changing times of China

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-12-30 07:46

As the year ends, we return to some of the people who told us their stories

In 2010, China overtook Japan as the world's second largest economy, capping the county's swift and phenomenal rise from the frustration and woes left by more than a century of wars, revolutions and counter-revolutions.

Yet, behind this milestone achievement are the intricate, concrete realities of daily life for the average urbanite and rural dweller. Skyrocketing property prices have pushed young office workers into "ant tribes", sharp rises in consumer prices have hit shoppers' pockets, farmers have complained of lost land and stripped rights, and factory workers have struggled to find ways to collectively address their concerns.

Throughout the year, China Daily has sought to uncover the effects these transformations are having on ordinary people. Today, we revisit the characters who helped tell us some of the most important stories of the past 12 months.

On the eve of the 100th anniversary of the 1911 Xinhai Revolution that ended feudalism in China, the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China and the start of the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015), many are now looking to the future.

Yet, only by looking back is it possible to see how far we have come.

See the stories on pages 6 and 7