Soft clampdown on illegal Beijing street food

Illegal food stalls, or barbeques, in two districts of the capital have been put on warning by law enforcement officials, Beijing Times reported on Tuesday.

Dongcheng and Fengtai districts in Beijing will clamp down on unlicensed food hawkers using chengguan, or urban management officers, in a less confrontational manner.

The officers will take photos of the illegal stalls and track down the caterers who will be issued with warning, fines or orders to move.

Statistics showed reports on outdoor barbeques dropped by 11.8 percent in July, while street occupation by illegal food stalls were down by 11.6 percent.

The new management move, which is soon to be expanded across the city, is expected to reduce the risks of on-site conflicts, which have turned deadly in the past.