Daily commentary about China by TIME correspondents.

MAGLEV: Just say No...

Here's some footage, posted on YOUTUBE, of a January 6 demonstration against the MAGLEV in Shanghai. The site is Renmin (People's) Park in central Shanghai. That big white building the demonstrators are standing and shouting in front of is home to the municipal government. Most of the time the demonstrators are simply shouting, “against the Maglev.''
The Maglev--a super high speed train-- currently runs just from the airport to a single stop on the Pudong side of the Huangpu river. It's more of a Disneyland ride than an effective means to get anywhere. But it's being expanded, and protests have occurred for at least a year now. Residents in neighborhoods affected worry about the health aspects of living close to the train—but they also worry about the value of their apartments. Early last year, residents of one large apartment building unfurled a huge banner down the side of the building which read: “Premier Wen, help us stop the MAGLEV.” This is the first demonstration of this size against the train that I've seen or heard about.
Here's the link to the YouTube footage, which, interestingly, has not been blocked in China. At least not yet anyway.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q57BnP8oTLk&feature=related

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