Beijing to renovate 60 'city villages'

Garbage is seen floating down a polluted waterway near Dong Xindian village in Beijing's Chaoyang district on September 9, 2014. [Photo: the beijingnews]

Beijing announced plans to clean up around 60 villages that have seen severe environmental erosion ahead of the coming National Holiday in October and the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) ministerial meeting, which will take place in the Chinese capital in November.

Local authorities have sent inspection teams to some 60 villages which have poor records on environmental protection and public security.

In China, "city villages" refers to certain rural areas under the administration of big cities.

These villages among skyscrapers are mostly poorly managed and contain large number of migrants.

The Beijing police said they would tighten up population registration and community management, while cracking down on illegal businesses in these districts.

Local authorities estimated that the environment and social security of these "city-villages" could be largely improved with such comprehensive measures.