Mini markets, vendors integral part of city

Some mini-vegetable markets were recently shut down in Beijing and some breakfast sellers "persuaded" to "go home". After Beijing launched a new campaign to "free the municipality of non-capital functions" earlier this year, such incidents have been reported from many communities, with many residents complaining about the inconvenience they have caused. Even People's Daily has said it's not right to shift vegetable markets away from residents.

Freeing Beijing of "non-capital functions" may be a good move because the metropolis has become very crowded. By the end of 2015, Beijing's total population had reached 21 million, almost three times that of London and New York. And its subways are so crowded that people jocularly say a sardine tin is no longer a good metaphor for them.

But the phrase "non-capital functions" should not be misunderstood or misinterpreted. It seems the local authorities are trying to move the low-end workforce out of the city and keep only high-end employees who earn higher incomes, pay more tax and generally carry a better image.