2020 Year in Review: The Headlines That Grabbed Us

The 20th year of this millennium has been the longest yet, and boy are we ready to say goodbye. But hey, if we had to spend it anywhere, then Beijing ain't a half shabby place to do so. In 2020 Year in Review, we're taking a look back at all the happenings in this city that somehow managed to keep us sane while the world went crazy.

Last year was not without its headlines – the closing of the Bookworm, an icon of Beijing’s English-speaking community, and the opening of a new airport as well as the city skyline’s tallest building all reshaped the capital for residents and visitors alike.

Meanwhile, news of a couple of measly black plague cases imported from Inner Mongolia now seems quaint in comparison to the dominant news story of 2020. But we need not name that particular story here – the Beijinger will have a separate review blog dedicated to it when it’s all said and done. Instead, let’s take a moment to remember that Beijing had its own goings-on this year, and stories were forged in spite of, rather than because of, any contagion.

All told, tt has been a year of steps forward for Beijing’s environment in terms of the continued plummeting of air pollution and restoration of biodiversity. It has also been the year that the city got its act together on trash sorting (though not without a few missteps along the way) and spearheaded China’s anti-plastic campaign, imposing greater restrictions on itself than the rest of the country faced.

The topography of Beijing also underwent changes in 2020 with the completion of the Liangma Riverside renovations, the revamping of Wangjing Walk, the erection of a new Apple Store in Taikoo Li, and of course, the crushing of Workers’ Stadium and its surrounding clubs.

Beyond these stories that will have a lasting impact on this city, there were plenty of other headlines and stories that captured the attention of Beijingers this year. See for yourself:

Workers’ Stadium Flattened after celebrating 60 years

In the very same month that Workers’ Stadium turned 60 years old, it was demolished – but not permanently. The flattening was all to make room for a new-and-improved stadium, which will be safer and seat more fans.

The demolition has put every Beijinger’s favorite football team, Guo’an, out of their rightful home for the time being, but they’ve shacked up nicely in the Olympic Stadium until Workers’ reopens in 2023, just in time to host the opening ceremony for the Asian Games in the summer. However, the many nightclubs that once flourished around the stadium have either had to pack up and move house or in some cases shut down for good.

Beijing led the way in environmental protection

China as a whole has waged war on plastics this year, but with every step the country took, Beijing went one step further, ramping up bans on plastic bags and straws ahead of the national schedule (although anyone who regularly orders waimai knows that these rules are slow to be enforced). This speed can be accredited in part to the city’s role as the capital, leading the way for the rest, but it may also have to do with Beijing’s own mounting landfills.

There was other good news by way of Beijing’s environment, too. The city is experiencing a veritable air renaissance compared to the smog of years past, thanks in part to continually increased regulations against air pollution. Meanwhile, wildlife has been returning to the surrounding forests and waterways, including many long-unseen migratory birds.

Liangma River Walk renovated

In the first half of 2020, a walk along the river was nothing to write home about, unless it was to write about how unsightly the construction scene was. But by the summer, more than half of the walkway – which runs from the embassy district to the north-east corner of Chaoyang Park – was completed, allowing pedestrians, cyclists, swimmers, and fishermen to roam free and enjoy themselves along the newly greened banks, across the attractive new bridges, and under the freshly minted sculptures.

Doctor wounded in stabbing at Chaoyang Hospital

In January, Chaoyang hospital was already off to a rough start as a knife attack shook the world of Dr. Tao, a surgeon at the hospital, as well as several others who were injured in the incident. We later learned that the attacker was one of Tao's patients who had grown frustrated with the cost of their treatment and had lashed out even though Tao had tried to help find ways to reduce the patient's cost of care. With an injured hand, Tao is no longer able to perform surgery, but he remains committed to pioneering research in his role as director of ophthalmology at the hospital. 

Luckin Coffee suffers a big hit, fans fret

In April, news hit that Luckin Coffee had falsified sales to the tune of RMB 2.2 billion the previous year in order to appease stockholders. Despite the fact that their coffee is – how shall we put this? – not very good, the chain has garnered more than a few loyal fans in Beijing and beyond. When the news broke, many of them figured it might be their last chance to order Luckin – so many, in fact, that the app crashed, which happens to be the only way to order their coffee, even if you visit one of their stores in person. In the end, the brand survived, though it’s still struggling after being hit with a massive fine of RMB 61 million, and of course, a shattered reputation among investors.

Hopes of a street-side economy comeback shot down

In an effort to revamp the economy after the initial COVID-19 shutdown, an initiative was born to revitalize the street economy of old, reallowing vendors to sling their wares on street corners as they please. This news spurred hopes among long-time Beijingers who longed for the days gone by when shoppers could pick up whatever they needed on the cheap just by walking down the road. But alas, the excitement was short-lived – Beijing soon announced that the plan was “not suitable” for the capital, and scrapped its forward momentum within its borders.

Awkwafina crowned Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy

Beijingers lauded one of the most famous foreigners ever to live in Beijing when she became the first Asian American ever to win a Golden Globe. Awkwafina studied for a year at Beijing Language and Culture University during college. She would later go on to a successful hip-hop career that would gain her enough stardom to land roles in major films including Crazy Rich Asians, Ocean’s 8, and of course, The Farewell, which won her the award.

READ: 2020 Year in Review: The Albums That Saved Us, Comforted Us, and Otherwise Got Us Through the Year

Images: Kuji Rolls, the Beijingers, Tom Arnstein, Anna Pellegrin Hartley, ABC