2026-01-07
9 分钟The Economist.
Hi, I'm Sarah Woo, co-host of Drum Tower, our podcast about China.
Welcome to Editor's Picks.
We've handpicked an article for you from the latest edition of The Economist.
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It would once have taken a week to travel from Leh—
the joint capital of Ladakh, a territory in India's far north—
to Tangtse, a village less than 50km from India's disputed border with China.
Even five years ago, the trip would have eaten up a day.
But when your correspondent made the same passage in November—
crossing the Chang La pass at an altitude of around 17,600 feet,
the same as Everest's base camp—
the journey was zippy by comparison.
Newly paved roads brought him towards the border in about four hours.
Speedier travel in the mountains is one by-product
of a bloody clash between India and China that took place in 2020
in the Galwan valley, high up in Ladakh.
That incident, the worst mêlée in more than 50 years,
blew up ties between the world's two most populous countries.
Both sides rushed troops to the region, and began building infrastructure.