Climbers (part one): A way out of China

Climbers (part one): A way out of China

Necoclí is a tiny town on Colombia’s Caribbean coast. Beach bars blast party music and sell brightly-coloured cocktails. But Necoclí is not just a tourist destination. It is also a stopping point for migrants heading to the United States.


The fastest-growing group among them are Chinese. They are on a journey they call zouxian, or walking the line. Disillusioned with the Chinese dream, they have decided to chase the American version. But first they face a journey that is fraught with peril.


Necoclí is the place migrants stock up on supplies and cash, before putting their trust in smugglers who will guide them across the Darién Gap, a treacherous stretch of jungle separating Colombia and Panama.


In the first episode of this four-part series, Alice Su, The Economist’s senior China correspondent, travels to Necoclí to meet Chinese migrants on their zouxian journey, and asks what drove them to leave China and take such risks.


Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts.


Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+.


For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Avsnitt(1940)

Check in the mail: our analysis of Epstein’s correspondence

Check in the mail: our analysis of Epstein’s correspondence

Our data journalists trawled through the vast email archive of Jeffrey Epstein, a dead sex offender. It is a revealing look at how and with whom he communicated. As interest grows in banning young peo...

16 Feb 25min

Stock options: how to hedge an AI bubble

Stock options: how to hedge an AI bubble

Tech firms are spending so much on artificial intelligence that investors are getting nervous. Our correspondent explains whether it is possible to protect your portfolio from a crash. Turkey’s ruler ...

13 Feb 22min

Check in Kyiv: prospects for peace?

Check in Kyiv: prospects for peace?

As Russia’s war in Ukraine nears four years, there has been no let up in the fighting on the battlefield. Yet there is some optimism that negotiations could yield a ceasefire. Our correspondent joins ...

12 Feb 23min

Dhaka matters: an election for Bangladesh

Dhaka matters: an election for Bangladesh

The toppling of authoritarian leader Sheikh Hassina in Bangladesh in 2024 was celebrated as a triumph for democracy. Tomorrow the country finally heads to the polls. Our correspondent weighs the choic...

11 Feb 20min

A Keir-death experience: Britain's PM clings on

A Keir-death experience: Britain's PM clings on

Sir Keir Starmer has faced calls for his resignation from a senior party member. He has survived – but Britain’s prime minister is now fighting for his political survival. Assisted dying legislation i...

10 Feb 20min

Snap judgement: Japan PM’s electoral landslide

Snap judgement: Japan PM’s electoral landslide

Takaichi Sanae’s gamble to call a general election has paid off. How will the prime minister’s thumping victory change Japan? New legislation in Republican states could imperil academic freedom. And w...

9 Feb 23min

Elon shot: will Musk’s mega-merger work?

Elon shot: will Musk’s mega-merger work?

This week Elon Musk announced the merger of two of his companies: SpaceX and xAI, which makes chatbots. Is the new firm viable? As migrant workers return home for lunar new year, the Chinese Communist...

6 Feb 22min

Nukes of hazard: US-Russia arms treaty expires

Nukes of hazard: US-Russia arms treaty expires

The New START nuclear deal was signed in 2010 to restrict the number of strategic warheads and missiles America and Russia could amass. Will there be a new deal – and what will happen if not? How soci...

5 Feb 24min

Populärt inom Politik & nyheter

aftonbladet-krim
motiv
blenda-2
p3-krim
rss-krimstad
fordomspodden
flashback-forever
rss-viva-fotboll
rss-sanning-konsekvens
svd-dokumentara-berattelser-2
svenska-fall
aftonbladet-daily
rss-vad-fan-hande
spar
rss-krimreportrarna
rss-flodet
olyckan-inifran
rss-frandfors-horna
grans
dagens-eko