Beijing is an exciting city! Stay updated with our weekend summary of the latest news.
New Nonstop Beijing-Kenya Route Set for 2026
Due to rising demand, Kenya Airways has revealed plans to launch direct flights between Beijing and Nairobi next year, a decision that underscores the growing economic and cultural ties between China and Africa. The airline reports a significant increase in Chinese visitors to Kenya across various categories, noting that last year over 90,000 Chinese tourists traveled to Kenya—an increase of nearly 50 percent compared to the previous year. Furthermore, Kenya Airways has recently added several Chinese-speaking flight attendants to its staff, ensuring that two to three crew members can adequately address the needs of Chinese passengers on every flight on existing Kenya-China routes. The airline has been facilitating connections between Nairobi and Guangzhou since 2005, and this new service will mark the first direct flight link between Nairobi and Beijing.
Unauthorized Shared Bikes Appear in Beijing
A number of unauthorized shared bikes have recently emerged in the city, predominantly around Tian’anmen and Qianmen. These bikes, introduced by several companies, are all parent-child models equipped with one or two additional seats for children, posing notable safety concerns. Unlike regular shared bikes that charge typical fees and operate on 15-minute intervals, these illegal parent-child bikes cost between RMB 30 and RMB 50 per hour, requiring deposits of RMB 100 to RMB 200. Additional fees for retrieval services have also been reported. Unwary customers could rent these bikes by scanning QR codes that lead to seemingly legitimate mini programs. Authorities have already mandated the removal of all illegal parent-child shared bikes identified in their investigations, with one company facing a fine of RMB 15,000. The public is cautioned that these so-called "parent-child" shared bikes, which have multiple seats, are both unsafe and unlawful.
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Images: Unsplash, Beijing Fabu
