Right after the recent seven-day National Day holidays that ended on Oct.7, commuters in Beijing were delighted to find a new subway line being put into service. This 27.6-km long underground artery, running through the northern and southern edges of downtown Beijing and linking bustling commercial sections, densely-populated residential quarters, and well-known tourism spots in five districts will provide a healthier alternative to the gridlock traffic conditions in the nation's capital.

The 12 billion-yuan new subway line was also seen as part of the local government's latest efforts to turn Beijing into a more livable city, an objective drawn up in a long-term municipal development plan that anticipates Beijing in 2020 as "a most suitable place for residence." With this ambitious goal in mind, local authorities have gone all out to remove some of the basic obstacles, including, among others, giving top priority to developing public transportation as a way of easing traffic congestion.

Tremendous efforts to unblock these bottlenecks have been adopted in this regard. Not only have special lanes been reserved for buses and trolleys during rush hours on virtually all downtown thoroughfares, and billions been spent in upgrading transport hardware, but a reduction in bus and subway fares has made public transport in Beijing the cheapest in the country. In addition, seven more subway lines will become operable in 2008, according to the Beijing Municipal Government.

Apart from traffic woes, other huge barriers have to be removed before Beijing can declare itself an ideal place to live. Take the environment for instance. People in the city are often greeted by dark hazy days, devoid of sunshine and a clear sky, or find clouds of dust and dirt filtering through into every nook and cranny. As the city's population grows at a rapid rate, now standing at above 17 million, housing may pose yet another serious challenge, as the pace of construction on low-cost apartments can not meet the escalating demand. This makes it difficult to improve the quality of life. Fortunately, authorities have a blueprint to close the gap between what the city is and how it will be, and are taking urgent steps to implement their plan.

On the brighter side, though, Beijing has its own unique advantages. The capital of one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, it is the political and cultural center of China, as well as a hotbed for booming economic development. Serving as capital of several dynasties in ancient China, Beijing has developed a long-standing atmosphere to welcome and embrace cultural diversity. The city boasts the largest number of ancient monuments, cultural facilities, well-known sites of interest, as well as the best education and research institutions in the country. But perhaps the most important asset and charm of Beijing is the tolerance and enterprising spirit of its citizens, who are always open to trying new ideas, learning from the experience of others, and keen on beautifying their city. This gives Beijing an extra edge to accomplish its mission of becoming a world-class metropolitan city.