Beijing’s new anti-migrant program

This biggest news story out of China in recent days—a story that is censored inside the country—is the mass eviction of thousands of migrant workers from the capital of Beijing. Officials there gave the migrants days, in some cases hours, to pack up their belongings and leave before crews demolished entire neighborhoods. Photos of the warlike scene show debris and heaps of rubble sitting where the homes of the “low-end population” once stood.

In a rare show of resistance, hundreds of protesters gathered in the streets of Feijia village on Sunday, carrying white banners and chanting, “Violent evictions violate human rights!” The protest wasn’t reported by state media, but bystanders posted videos and photos on the social media service WeChat.

Although police began kicking out some of the city’s migrants before the 19th National Party Congress in October, the evictions began on a mass scale after a November building fire killed 19 people, 17 of them migrants. Officials said the fire showed the dangers of these low-end neighborhoods, and they launched a 40-day housing crackdown. The evictions are allowing officials to expel what they consider unwanted populations, and to make Beijing into a shiny, cutting-edge city without grimy neighborhoods.

Of the 21.7 million Beijing residents, 8.1 million are migrants, many moving from rural villages to the capital to find higher-paying jobs as manual laborers, food stall owners, couriers, and even tech workers. Each Chinese citizen has a hukou, a household registration based on birthplace, that determines how he or she is treated in the city. Those with a Beijing hukou have better access to housing, schools, and healthcare. They get more job opportunities, and for some, it’s a dating requirement. Migrants, on the other hand, are seen as second-class citizens.

Those with enough money can find other housing in Beijing, perhaps farther from the city center, but most will need to leave, returning to rural homes or finding work in another city. The evictions will also affect the city: Without couriers zipping through town on electric bikes, who will deliver takeout lunches or online purchases? Five delivery companies warned of delays following the evictions, The New York Times reported. What will the city do without its cooks, sweepers, and construction workers?

The city is also depriving itself of innovation: A 2015 study found that nearly 30 percent of migrants in Beijing are college graduates, and about 346,000 work in software and information technologies, according to the Times.

But amid this bleak situation, local Christians have stepped up. In a handwritten notice shared on social media, one Beijing house church offered to pray for evicted migrants, to help them move, and to help them find temporary housing. Congregants even offered their meeting place as a location for migrants to rest and store belongings. Why? “Because Jesus said: ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.’ Matthew 11:28” The congregants also left their phone numbers, WeChat ID, and the church’s address.

When Pastor Liu Yi in California shared the image on Twitter, the first commenter wrote in Chinese: “I really want to become a Christian!”

The Guardian has done some great on-the-ground reporting about the evictions, showing the anger and frustration of the people.

Great Firewall tester: With China’s list of censored websites constantly growing, it might be hard to keep track of whether your favorite sites are reachable. One handy tool is greatfirewallofchina.org, a web service that allows you to type in a URL address for any website and check its accessibility in five regions of China: Beijing, Shenzhen, Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang province, and Yunnan province. For instance, The Wall Street Journal is currently censored in all five regions. The U.K.’s The Guardian is not. And of course, I’ve checked WORLD’s website: We are still reachable in China.