'China's lifeblood': street hawkers make surprise return to fire up ailing economy

Once discouraged in favour of modern, smarter cities, vendors have been praised by Beijing in a bid to keep low-skilled in work after coronavirusCoronavirus latest updatesIndia cases surge as lockdown easesOn a quiet street corner in a neighbourhood in Beijing known for families and retirees, Xue Min, 22 a recent graduate, swats her legs, fighting off mosquitoes, as she encourages passersby to browse the earrings and scrunchies she has laid out on a cloth, surrounded by fairy lights. “Have a look,” she says brightly to a couple that pause briefly before moving on. Just before 10pm, two men arrive with a food cart – a gas stove, wok, and counter, attached to a motorbike and begin to prep their menu of fried rice and noodles. Xue and her neighbour, a woman selling books, toothbrushes and trinkets from abroad, murmur and watch with expectation. Business might pick up a little now. Continue reading…
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