What’s trending?

Less than two weeks ago, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang’s enthusiastic praise of street stalls quickly led to a revival of the street vending economy (Source: Caixin Global). However, as the informal sector has gained popularity across the country, major cities including Beijing are trying to temper the enthusiasm and remembering why they needed to supervise and manage the streetside economy in the first place.

What’s the story?

Cities rushed to pick up on the premier’s endorsement of street vendors last week, issuing encouraging notices in an attempt to generate employment and boost the economy. The novelty of the official go-ahead, after years of crackdowns, attracted people to make plans to ply their trade on the pavement and turned the “street vending economy” into an instantly hot trending phrase online (Source: Caixin Global).

However, it is thought that the craze could lead to a recurrence of old issues. In densely populated cities like Beijing, street stalls take up sidewalk space and disturb residents, causing problems for traffic and sanitation. In order to “punish illegal behaviors that disrupt our urban order,” city management in Beijing plans to collect public criticism and heavily regulate the street vending scene (Source: Beijing Daily).

What are people saying online?

Many people have voiced their support of regulating the return to street stalls. “I’ve seen street vendors leave trash all over the ground when they leave for the day. They also crowd the streets,” a user wrote. “I understand that it’s hard to run a street business, but we must keep in mind the city’s image and everyone’s safety.”

Other people feel puzzled by Beijing’s wavering attitude towards street vendors. A user expressed his confusion through an analogy, “it seems like city officials are making dough. They put in too much water all at once and now they’re dumping in the flour.”

Contact editor Marcus Ryder (marcusryder@caixin.com)

Related: Premier Promises Government Support for Street Vendors