Thousands of migrants living in Beijing are being forcibly evicted, sometimes with only minutes' notice, as part of the Chinese authorities' campaign against "illegal" structures and to meet a target of a 15% population reduction in the city centre. These structures house millions of migrant workers who work in the city's shops, factories, delivery companies and restaurants. China's household registration system means migrant workers, some of whom have lived in the capital for the past week, lack many rights compared with native residents. The evictions began after a fire in south Beijing that killed 19 people, who were mainly immigrants.
Thousands of migrants living in Beijing are being forcibly evicted, sometimes with only minutes' notice, as part of the Chinese authorities' campaign against "illegal" structures and to meet a target of a 15% population reduction in the city centre. These structures house millions of migrant workers who work in the city's shops, factories, delivery companies and restaurants. China's household registration system means migrant workers, some of whom have lived in the capital for years, lack many rights compared with native residents. The evictions began after a fire in south Beijing that killed 19 people, who were mainly immigrants.