2026-04-23
7 分钟Hi, I'm Sarah Wu, 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.
We hope you enjoy listening.
The morning commute on Line 4 of the Chongqing subway is, as anywhere,
full of workers rushing onto the train and going downtown.
But there is a crucial difference.
The people are not destined for offices.
They are farmers carrying large baskets laden with beans, tomatoes and more as they head to markets.
It is a scene that illustrates one of China's marvels,
a sparkling subway that links the countryside to the city.
Alas, it also illustrates one of China's glaring gaps,
pitiful pensions that leave many rural elderly with no choice but to toil.
On a recent weekday morning, Chaguan rode the metro and talked to Chongqing's farmers about their lives.
Many expressed gratitude for the relative convenience.
The subway connection, just a few years old, allows them to go directly to customers,
bypassing wholesalers and earning more.
For people over 65, it is free.
The markets charge a nominal fee, usually about five yuan, 34 American cents,
for the patch of ground from which they sell their produce.