Everything must go

There is an estimated 100,000 "ants" living in Beijing, with more than 1 million nationwide, according to Lian Si, an associate professor at the University of International Business and Economics, who wrote a book called Ant Tribe.

Wang Jiakui, who runs a shoe repair business in Tangjialing, said he will stay open until the demolition crews arrive.

No matter where they settle, businesses that specialize in catering for people on tight budgets are not far behind.

As the "ants" are forced to march on to new locations, the owners of small enterprises in Tangjialing say they are the ones suffering.

Most shop windows are now splashed with posters saying things like "Closing down sale" and "Everything must go", while staff stand outside shouting to attract customers.

"Many of my customers have already left," said a street vendor selling fruit and vegetables.

"The media has extensively reported the demolition plans but no action has been taken yet," he said.

Ma Hui, 39, who owns the village's Baifendian shoe shop, said he is seeing a 50-percent fall in revenue month on month.

"Everyone's selling off stock at discount prices at the moment, so it's competitive," he said. "I won't go bankrupt but (the project) is going to deal us a huge blow."

The businessman, who hails from Hunan province, will get compensation from the authorities if he holds out until the demolition. However, the majority of stores and restaurants have declared their landlord as the registered owner, which means they will receive nothing.

Many traders are already planning their escape route.

"I'm thinking about moving to Miyun county or Pinggu district or Changping district," said Zhang Jun, who has owned a convenience store in Tangjialing for more than a decade. "The rent is acceptable and I know people there who can help me set up."

Another businessman studying a map in his closed dress store said he is looking at the option of moving to a new shopping mall in Xisanqi.

"We received promotional leaflets in the mail about the mall and its attractive rent. The mall is not a very popular one but at least it is somewhere we can continue our business," he said.

But not every trader feels it is so easy to just pick up and start again somewhere else.

"With the profits I make, I cannot afford to rent a unit in a high street or mall," said Wang Minglei, who runs a budget cosmetics store. "Only villagers would buy my low-cost products. The reconstruction means I will have to risk running a business in a market I'm not familiar with."

Security issues

As the uncertainty over the future of Tangjialing remains, villagers are being asked for their opinions on how to move forward with the demolition and relocation plans.

In the meantime, security guards brought in to fill the gaps in police resources can continue to be seen patrolling the village.

"The police force here is completely understaffed to deal with the number of migrants that moved to the area," a security guard told China Daily.

Beijing Jiaqiang Security Service Ltd, a private company, has been cooperating with the Xibeiwang town public security bureau for many years, said its general manager Ma Yunlong.

The firm currently has 20 guards working in the area and the local authorities are asking for more, said Ma, although he declined to elaborate why security is being beefed up in an area where the population is falling.