Homeless invited to come inside

As winter begins to tighten its icy grip on Beijing, homeless people across the city are being encouraged to move into temporary refuge centers.

Wang Yanchang, who works at a center in Chaoyang district, told China Daily: "Winter is our busiest time and we have been working around the clock to prepare for the arrival of this year's intake."

The city's civil affairs bureau yesterday announced the launch of its annual campaign, held in association with local police, to provide temporary accommodation for thousands of people who would otherwise be forced to live rough.