Don't demolish Beijing hutong

Renovation of the Beijing old city proper can achieve better results if participated in by residents instead of land developers, says a signed article in Beijing News. An excerpt follows:

The Dongsi Batiao area, an important part of old Beijing, is among the first 25 areas of cultural and historical significance the city has promised to preserve. But now the Dongcheng District's housing construction bureau ordered hundreds of local families to vacate their homes before May 26 to make way for the construction of a commercial building.

The district government and the municipal bureau for the protection of cultural relics have different views on whether the area is worth preserving. But no matter what the conclusion is, many residents do not want to leave their homes.