Great article and very impressive what they've achieved in Beijing!

Speaking of user friendliness, especially for normies: One thing that annoys me to no end with all Chinese subway systems are the constant security and bag checks. First, no other world city has those (including Hong Kong) so I don't understand what Chinese metro systems seem to know that literally no other metro system knows. And second, even if I was concerned for my safety on the metro (which I am not), those checks are so comically theater-like. No one ever asks to remove metal objects. Sometimes they ask to take a sip from a water bottle, sometimes they don't.

At least speaking for me, their whole "we are world leaders in operating metros" branding falls apart the moment I am once again exposed to this ridiculous security theater that seems to serve no purpose except for providing employment to 100,000s of people across the country.