.Blue skies in Beijing & shivering people of the northern land
by an anonymous writer.
To suppress the air pollution in Beijing, the Chinese government has started a new campaign by banning the right of people in the northern lands (Hebei, Henan, Shanxi, Shannxi, Shandong provinces, etc.) to burn coal.
Although the skies in Beijing have turned blue, such a campaign leads to many millions of people in northland who are suffering. The slogan in the picture below reads, “Whoever buys coal will be caught, whoever sells coal will be caught”.
A farmer in the northland of China said, “Coal boilers cost 2000 RMB for the winter, while electrical or gas boiler cost 10000 RMB for this period, after government subsidies”. Such subsidies only last 3 years. According to the information from the China government website, the average income of Chinese farmers is 16021 RMB. It means that they have to use around 60 % of the annual income to avoid freezing to death. Even worse, most of the area does not have access to gas supply after the right to burn coal was taken away from the people.
Freezing or starving, Chinese farmers are facing choices. Everyone hopes for clean air; however, should it be at the cost of the sacrifice of poor farmers who have little voice on the Chinese internet?
Anonymous writer, 'Blue skies in Beijing & shivering people of the northern land', aknownspace, 2020, 2, 5