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China: Eighty-five Percent of Beijing Beggars are Professional
Epoch Times ^ | 07/02/04 | Zhao Yan

Posted on 07/05/2004 5:52:03 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster

Eighty-five Percent of Beijing Beggars are Professional


By Zhao Yan, Broadcasting Corporation of China
Translated by The Epoch Times
Jul 02, 2004
(Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images)

It’s official! According to an investigation conducted by Beijing officials, up to 85 percent of all beggars are professional. The officials concluded that more attention must be paid to both control and assist the homeless. They also pointed out that beggars in Beijing come from about 22 provinces, mostly from areas with underdeveloped economies.

Professional beggars are fast becoming a major problem. According to a police report, only about 15 percent of the beggars surveyed were actually willing to receive government aid, while the other 85 percent did not and a large percentage also looked to begging as the most effective way to make a living.

The beggars have many methods to get both attention and money including wailing and crying in public, begging under the pretense of disability or physical disfigurement, street performances, being persistent with or holding on to a potential benefactor’s leg and becoming very aggressive towards passersby.

The report by the officials suggests that all beggars in public areas who disturb the peace should be brought to justice and punished. The report also suggests setting up areas that prohibit beggars in areas such Tiananmen, foreign embassies and military installations.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: beggar; beijing; china; homeless; professional

1 posted on 07/05/2004 5:52:04 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
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To: maui_hawaii; tallhappy; Dr. Marten; Filibuster_60; Jeff Head; Paul Ross

Ping!


2 posted on 07/05/2004 5:54:06 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
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To: TigerLikesRooster

The same percentage probably applies here too.


3 posted on 07/05/2004 5:55:39 AM PDT by R. Scott (Humanity i love you because when you're hard up you pawn your Intelligence to buy a drink.)
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To: TigerLikesRooster
Eighty-five Percent of Beijing Beggars are Professional

No different from Democratic Beggars.


4 posted on 07/05/2004 6:01:55 AM PDT by Major_Risktaker (Oderint dum metuant)
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To: TigerLikesRooster

Are the other 15% just doing it for fun?


5 posted on 07/05/2004 6:16:17 AM PDT by bayourod (Can the 9/11 Commission connect the dots on Iraq or do they require a 3-D picture?)
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To: bayourod
Re #5

No, they do it for survival. 85% do it for making more money than they do in their old job.:)

6 posted on 07/05/2004 6:55:37 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
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To: TigerLikesRooster

Beggars in a communist country?


7 posted on 07/05/2004 7:00:06 AM PDT by Mr Ramsbotham ("This house is sho' gone crazy!")
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To: Mr Ramsbotham
Re #7

No, beggars in "reformed communist country", aka, "national socialist country."

8 posted on 07/05/2004 7:02:04 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
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To: TigerLikesRooster
No, beggars in "reformed communist country", aka, "national socialist country."

National Socialist? That sounds like "Nazi!"

9 posted on 07/05/2004 7:05:44 AM PDT by Mr Ramsbotham ("This house is sho' gone crazy!")
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To: Mr Ramsbotham
Re #9

hyper-nationalism +
political oppression +
state-dominated market economy = national socialism

10 posted on 07/05/2004 7:18:36 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
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To: TigerLikesRooster
hyper-nationalism +
political oppression +
state-dominated market economy = national socialism

Hmmmm. With one tiny, irrelevant exception, it sounds like Communism.

11 posted on 07/05/2004 7:23:11 AM PDT by Mr Ramsbotham ("This house is sho' gone crazy!")
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