The 23-year-old cable factory worker has been looking for a new home sinceauthorities announced plans to demolish Tangjialing, a run-down village synonymous withthe “ant tribe” - a term given to the thousands of young people who crowd China’s innercityslums.
Like his fellow “ants”, the only qualities Chen hopes for in his new home is that it ischeap and safe. He cannot afford to worry about living standards.
“They’re not planning to tear down this village, too, right?” he asked the landlord asthe couple left to see the next property on their list.
Tangjialing, which is in the northwestern suburbs close to Zhongguancun, “China’sSilicon Valley”, is among 50 areas that authorities in December 2009 earmarked for largescalerenovation by the end of 2010.
Officials with Beijing municipal government say that they hope the project willimprove integration between the urban and rural areas, stimulate the low-end housingmarket and improve living standards for rural workers.
However, sociologists also argue there are fears that a large concentration ofdisillusioned, educated youths - the ant tribe is largely made up of graduates trying tomake it big in cities - could pose a potential risk to social stability.
“As we learn from history, grassroots intellectuals are the most likely to cause socialturbulence,” said Yu Jianrong, a sociologist with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
Although the demolition project is on hold while officials, residents and businessowners thrash out a deal over compensation and relocation, the bulldozers are closing in.
Yet, few expect this to be the end of the Tangjialing ant tribe, as many of the 50,000young renters who have flocked into the area in recent years are simply finding similar lowcostaccommodation even further away from the city’s downtown, past the North SixthRing Road.
Most of those who have already moved out went to rural areas, according to severalvillage truck owners who offer removal services. “They’re now living next to vegetable plots… but it’s cheaper,” said one.
Despite the slow outflow of people since March, getting on a bus in Tangjialing onweekday mornings is still a mission impossible.
A member of staff working for a transportation agency said the number of passengerswaiting for buses during rush hour has dropped about one-third “but there are still toomany”.
The overspill has spawned a rash of illegal taxis and bus services.
Zhang Ran, 26, who was standing at a bus stop, said he would not leave the villageuntil the bulldozers arrived.
“Who knows when the village will be torn down? The transportation may evenimprove to some extent when more people have left,” he said, adding that a major factorbehind his decision to stay was that his landlord was refusing to pay back his deposit of500 yuan because “I am the one asking to terminate the lease”.
As well as those hanging on, new residents are also continuing to settle in Tangjialing.
Tang Lingling, who has a degree in Russian and used to work in the Xinjiang Uygurautonomous region, rented an apartment here in late May 2009 while she looks for a jobin Beijing.
“I’ll put up with living here for a while and move nearer to my workplace later,” saidTang as she waited for a bus to take her to a jobs fair downtown.
“Tangjialing is just a stop, not the destination,” she added.
Everything must go
There is an estimated 100,000 “ants” living in Beijing, with more than 1 millionnationwide, according to Lian Si, an associate professor at the University of InternationalBusiness and Economics, who wrote a book called Ant Tribe.
No matter where they settle, businesses that specialize in catering for people on tightbudgets are not far behind.
As the “ants” are forced to march on to new locations, the owners of small enterprisesin Tangjialing say they are the ones suffering.
Most shop windows are now splashed with posters saying things like “Closing downsale” and “Everything must go”, while staff stand outside shouting to attract customers.
“Many of my customers have already left,” said a street vendor selling fruit andvegetables.
“The media has extensively reported the demolition plans but no action has beentaken yet,” he said.
Ma Hui, 39, who owns the village’s Baifendian shoe shop, said he is seeing a 50-percent fall in revenue month on month.