Newsstands face battle amid changing times

Yang said she might start another small business, or retire if she cannot continue to run her newsstand.

"If there is a chance, I hope I can continue my newsstand business because I have been doing this for so long and many people living nearby come to buy newspapers or magazines regularly. We have become friends despite only exchanging a few words over the years. People know me," she said.

More important, Yang said business is not as bad as some people think. As long as she can continue to sell food, drinks and cigarettes, the income can sustain her in Beijing, despite the high cost of living.

According to China Post Group, the country had 30,506 newsstands at the end of 2014 - 20,000 fewer than in 2008.

With the rise of the internet, and with newsstands starting to create problems such as obstructing roads and sidewalks, some cities have taken strict and quick action.

In 2009, Wuxi city, Jiangsu province, removed 1,241 newsstands. In 2012, Zhengzhou, capital of Henan province, dismantled all 421 stands in the city and authorities said newspapers and magazines could only be sold in stores.

Reading never dies

Luo Ping, a writer who lives in Beijing's Tongzhou district, wrote to the authorities last year, saying that newsstands are still an important part of the city's public cultural system and should not be neglected.

She received a reply thanking her for her letter, and saying her views would be taken into account. However, she still fears for the stands' future.