New deal for disadvantaged vendors

• Source: The Global Times
• [00:37 May 27 2009]
• Comments

By Chen Yang

A chengguan from Beijing’s Chaoyang district confronts an illegal trader earlier this month. Photo: Wu Ning

People classed as “disadvantaged” will not be punished for selling goods illegally in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, the city’s administration and law enforcement bureau has said.

Students, the unemployed, the disabled, people with poverty certificates and anyone aged over 60 will not be punished for selling goods illegally, but will receive a warning, an anonymous official was quoted as saying by the People’s Daily yesterday.

The bureau will, however, continue to punish those who engage in more serious offenses, such as posting advertisements or providing false documents, he said.

A Harbin resident surnamed Wang said that due to the economic crisis, many people now make a living selling goods on the street, so authorities should be tolerant.

A man surnamed Cao said, however, that unlicensed vendors should be banned, as they cannot be trusted.

“The quality of their products can’t be assured, so why do the authorities allow them to sell? It’s not in the public interest,” he said.

An unnamed person said at NetEase.com that people’s livelihoods were “more important than regulations,” while another said unlicensed vendors “hurt the interests” of licensed traders.

Du Juan, a professor at the Heilongjiang CPC Party School, said the new rule reflects a change to a more “understanding” management policy.

Authorities should “serve the people,” not just punish them, he said.

Meanwhile, authorities in Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu Province, said that all of the city’s street vendors would be allowed to trade legally from August 1.

Liu Guoqiang, from the Nanjing Urban Management Bureau, told the local Modern Express the rule change would affect more than 10,000 stallholders.

Zhang Dongmao, the bureau’s director, told the Legal Daily it reflected a change in the way rules are enforced and showed more respect for human rights.

Vendors will not be allowed to set up stall wherever they choose, however, and there are still some issues to be discussed, he said.

“Conflicts between chengguan (administrative law enforcement officers) and vendors are bound to continue, but I hope the image of the officials can be improved,” Zhang said.

In a survey conducted by Ifeng. com recently, almost 60 percent of people polled said they thought the law would benefit the public and the country. More than 90 percent said they thought it should be promoted nationwide.