BEIJING - Joggers, people walking their dogs and families out for a stroll after dinner are usually a common sight along Beijing's Liangma River.
But there is hardly anyone in the area in recent days.
In the Chinese capital city, public parks, buses and subway trains have also become emptier, with traffic a breeze on Beijing's Second Ring Road, which is notorious for jams on normal days.
Busy Beijing, a city of 22 million people, is finally taking a breather as migrants head home for what has been dubbed as China's first "real" Chinese New Year celebrations since the Covid-19 pandemic.
A 30-seater cafe along Liangma River, which usually draws customers from the surrounding office and residential buildings and foreign embassies, sold just two beverages on the morning of Feb 6.
"That is about 90 per cent lower than our usual sales," said waitress Li Feifei, 28.
Denne historien er fra February 09, 2024-utgaven av The Straits Times.
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Denne historien er fra February 09, 2024-utgaven av The Straits Times.
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