Only six months has passed since the Beijing Olympics and the Birds Nest stadium which hosted the spectacular opening and closing ceremonies is already beginning to lose its shine.

The paint is peeling and stains have appeared on its famous lattice design.

Accelerating the deterioration of the iconic National Stadium is the absence of a permanent tenant. It has not hosted a big event since the Paralympics last September and is in real danger of becoming a big white Chinese elephant.

‘It’s such a pity that it has been empty all these months,’ said tourist Gao Qiuling, who was visiting from the northern Tianjin port city, as she toured the venue with her family last Friday

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