CBD expansion neither prevention nor cure

Beijing recently revealed CBD expansion plan to boost its capacity for traffic by creating an intricate network of underground tunnels and terminals. Seven proposals from leading urban planning firms were made in the shadow of reports there would be a predicted four million cars in the capital by the end of this year, and five by 2011.

But this is not just a matter of dissolving congestion on the city's roads - the hard reality is that the municipal government decided in May to double the area of CBD by shifting residents out and turning their homes into office space. In short, this situation has come about from the actions of city planners to squeeze even more money out of an area used largely by pensioners as housing. The project will directly affect tens of thousands of people through relocation, millions more from vehicular pollution, and countless others from the enormous costs required - 100 billion yuan ($15 billion) will come straight from taxpayers' pockets for the 6-year-long ordeal.

Beijing is the capital city of one the most prosperous countries in the world and there has never been any doubt it needs a strong business center. Enhancing trade and finance, both domestically and internationally, adds coffers to the national bank and raises the general standards of the country.