Beijing empties out as migrants head home for first ‘real’ CNY after Covid-19 pandemic

BEIJING: Joggers, people walking their dogs and families out for a stroll after dinner are usually a common sight along Beijing’s Liangma River. But there have been hardly any people in the area in recent days. In the Chinese capital city, public parks, buses and subway trains have also become emptier, with traffic a breeze on Beijing’s Second Ring road, which is notorious for jams on normal days. Busy Beijing, a city of 22 million people, is finally taking a breather as migrants head home for what is dubbed China’s first “real” Chinese New Year celebrations since the Covid-19 pandemic. A 30-seater cafe along Liangma River, which usually draws customers from the surrounding office and residential buildings and foreign embassies,…