He described Beijing's opening ceremony as "extraordinarily, eye-wateringly spectacular" and that of Athens 2004 as "incredibly beautiful".

BBC: London 2012: Isles of Wonder theme for Olympic ceremony

But the new moves do mean that Beijing will be able to keep a much closer eye on poor banking practice and local shenanigans.

ECONOMIST: China

Pushing through Beijing traffic, taxi driver Ma Junjing has one eye on the road ahead and the other on a laminated card twirling from his rearview mirror.

CNN: MAO NOW

In 2009, Beijing raised its official 2007 growth rate from an already eye-popping 11.9 percent to 13 percent.

NPR: China's Struggle To Measure Economy Clouds Outlook

For an eye-opening feast of edible insects, it's hard to beat the Donghuamen night market in Beijing, China.

BBC: Is crawly cuisine the future of food?