Striding toward new era, despite challenges

One of the real highlights, for me at least, of covering the annual two sessions in Beijing is getting to spend time in the halls and corridors of the Great Hall of the People.

Anyone interested in modern Chinese history or architecture of any kind cannot help but be impressed, if not overwhelmed, by the splendor and symbolism of the building.

While there has been much mention at the meetings of this year's 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, one slightly overlooked fact is that the hall itself has its own 60th birthday this year, although one that is not entirely coincidental since it was built to mark the first decade of the PRC.