Bargain lovers, take note! Several months after we blogged about the Zoo Market being relocated to an undetermined location, that new location has now been confirmed as Langfang. Where is Langfang, you ask? All the way in Hebei Province!
According to China Daily , the market – which was founded in the 1980s – was causing transportation, security, and sanitation problems in Xicheng District. The relocation is expected to push around 100,000 people out of the capital to neighboring Hebei.
In the bigger picture, the relocation of the Zoo Market is part of the government’s long-term plan to push the “less core resources” out of Beijing to surrounding area in a bid to alleviate ase traffic pressure and air pollution.
According to The Global Times, the move is also part of President Xi Jinping’s idea to push Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei Province to develop together.
No timeline was announced for the market’s relocation, but according to Xi’s style of swiftly cracking down on corruption, policies and changes may soon be enacted.
Other markets being moved are Dahongmen (clothing) and Xinfadi (fresh produce), although they are less popular with foreigners.
Before the Zoo Market changes its name to Langfang Market (or Hebei Market), we propose taking a trip to properly bid goodbye to the more than 10,000 stalls of wholesale clothing and accessories. Though the place was like, well, a zoo, we’re going to miss the cheap, cheap bargains.
In the future, there won’t be anywhere left to shop while the kids are touring Beijing Zoo with dad.
Photo: courtesy of William Veerbeek (Flickr)
