Beijing’s Grand Clean‑Up: From Illegal Roofs to Modern Streets
The Goal: Demolish at least 40 million square metres of unlawful construction—imagine a patch as big as 28 copies of London’s Hyde Park—while shutting down 500 rogue factories this year. The city’s mayor, Chen Jining, promises a zero‑growth stance for unauthorized buildings and a steady stream of people heading out of the buzzing city centre.
Behind the Numbers
- Last year, the same target was set but nobody knows if it’s been hit this year.
- Finally, after a tragic fire in November, Beijing launched a safety spree that blew up non‑compliant structures, sending thousands of migrant workers packing.
- Critics—think scholars, students and journalists—have slammed the policy as a hard‑hit on the city’s most vulnerable.
The Ovation for Tradition & Modernity
While the authorities tidy up the ancient hutongs, historic Chinese alleyways are being shopped for a “clean‑seamless look.” That means shops set up in fringe‑cut wall openings are being shut, as the city calls these modifications “illegal.” Even with the tidy‑up, checks will preserve the essence of heritage zones, and housing for those displaced is promised.
Beyond the City: The Xiongan Push
Beijing is also pushing “non‑capital functions” out to relieve grid‑line stress, with the Xiongan New Area taking centre stage – a key regional development hotspot. Chen pledged, “Whatever support Xiongan needs, we’ll be there for it.”
Bottom line? Beijing isn’t just waving a bulldozer at outlandish construction; it’s hauling a whole city’s future into a glittering, measure‑tight balance of progress and tradition—though it’s a doozy for the people whose homes and businesses are in its sights.
