grey beijing

Vast Majority of Newcomers to Beijing Want to Turn Around and Leave

But only 30% have the means to do so

China’s capital is a huge draw for those seeking work or exposure to China’s history and culture, but it’s not without problems such as air pollution, traffic congestion and urban sprawl. How bad is it? A recent report says that 80 percent of newcomers to Beijing want to leave, but that only 28 percent actually go through with it.

The Beijing Healthy City Construction Research Report said salaries, home ownership, and support for elderly parents determine whether Beijingers can leave.

Beijing is busy trying to fix things. It’s preparing to merge with Tianjin and parts of Hebei by limiting its population to just 23 million by 2020. As well, the city has already begun relocating governments and services to remote regions in the outskirts as a way to alleviate urban overcrowding, a measure that recently extended to educational institutions.

At the same time, Beijing is ramping up its transportation infrastructure with new subway lines and a new airport expected to open by 2019.

The new Beijing megacity is expected to have 130 million residents — if non-residents manage to stick around until then.

Charles Liu

The Nanfang's Senior Editor