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Fur Capital

China's proposed Winter Olympics co-host boasts pristine ski slopes carpeted with artificial snow, but the city once dubbed the country's "fur capital" is also home to tens of thousands of caged rabbits and mink bred for their skins. The bid committee described Zhangjiakou, some 200 kilometres (120 miles) north of Beijing, as "ideal for snow sports” and the city was better known for producing furs under the Qing dynasty that ended a century ago and the industry still employs at least 70,000 people in the area. It will generate more than five billion yuan ($800 million) of business this year and includes more than 1,500 firms processing pelts into products. Both the International Olympic Committee and the Chinese government know that there is no future in the fur industry. But both the fur trade and Olympics  are seen as opportunities for development.

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