Residents feel exposed by city's order

Yan, a government employee in Kunming, capital of Yunnan province, says his wife paid more than 700 yuan ($100) this week to get a protruding balcony cage outside the window of their bedroom removed.

The worker, who declined to give his full name, said the couple feared the metal bars over their window, fitted to keep their home safe from burglars, might put his government job at risk.

As a result, "we have to hang our clothes to dry in the room because our apartment doesn't have a real balcony," he said.