What a day at the beach reveals about China

For centuries, most Chinese turned their back on the sea. But a boom in domestic tourism and the pandemic changed that. Now, whether they want the perfect seaside-selfie or to commune with nature, millions are heading to the beach for the very first time.

Rosie Blau, The Economist’s international China correspondent, spends a day at Dameisha beach, on China’s southern tip, where she explores what China’s new beach culture reveals about the country today.