(Changes around us) Mobile vendor -An Jia Ji– -Mobile benefit vehicle- drives a new path of shared wealth

In the early evening at the entrance of China Metrology University in Hangzhou’s Qiantang District, Chen Xiaowei and his wife, the owners of the “Li Li Xiang Fried Rice” stand, are calmly preparing ingredients and cooking. Their stall features small snacks for customers to nibble on, showcasing their ease and professionalism.

“Previously, we were operating as a ‘wild stall,’ and we would have to run away when we saw the city inspectors coming. Now with a fixed stall, our daily income has at least doubled compared to before,” Chen explains. Behind him, more than ten uniformly designed “Mobile Benefit Vehicles” are neatly lined up in designated areas.

Each vehicle is numbered and displays business licenses, health certificates, and food safety commitment documents on its side. The vendors also wear coordinated uniforms and hats—clear indicators of their transformation from informal vendors to legitimate operators.

The Qiantang District boasts the largest higher education cluster in Zhejiang Province. However, this prestigious label is accompanied by a significant issue of unlicensed operations near schools.

Last year, the district received over 18,000 complaints related to comprehensive law enforcement, with more than 9,500 concerning unlicensed vendors, accounting for 52% of the total. In an incomplete tally, out of 458 unlicensed vendors dealt with, over 350 were located in the Baiyang area, making up a striking 77%.

“Take Xueyuan Street, for example. With so many schools around, sometimes there are more than 50 vendors outside Hangzhou Vocational and Technical College. They occupy the non-motorized lanes, causing mixed traffic between e-bikes and cars, severely affecting traffic safety,” says Ji Hongwei, head of the City Appearance and Order Department at the Qiantang District Comprehensive Law Enforcement Bureau. “Reform is imperative.”

The “night economy” serves as a crucial engine for urban economic growth and social development, playing a significant role in job creation and economic advancement. Balancing the need for lively street life with maintaining the city’s aesthetic has become a key challenge for urban managers.

In March of this year, the Qiantang District Comprehensive Law Enforcement Bureau, in collaboration with Baiyang Street and other departments, issued the “Guiding Opinions for Temporary Street Vendor Management in Qiantang District with Baiyang Street as a Pilot,” allowing a number of vendors to operate in designated time slots and locations, thus streamlining their operations using small food carts.

Directly opposite the south gate of Hangzhou Vocational and Technical College, the first pilot “Mobile Benefit Vehicle” has been established. Around 8 PM, as students finish their evening classes, this location sees a second wave of customers. A fried rice and fried noodles stall run by Xiao Zhou is a local favorite, often drawing four to five patrons at a time.

“The foot traffic here is really steady. I sell around 100 portions daily, averaging over 1,000 yuan in revenue,” Xiao Zhou shares.

So far, complaints against unlicensed vendors in the Baiyang area have decreased by 72.2% compared to last year.

Beyond the higher education zone, the Hezhuang Street area in Qiantang District has also launched temporary vendor pilot zones, providing over 60 stalls through a voluntary registration and lottery system, giving mobile vendors a place to operate. Meanwhile, Xinjing Village has established the New Agricultural Bridge Food Street to provide a fixed operating spot for mobile vendors.

“This model maintains street life while also ensuring order and supporting the employment and entrepreneurship of transient workers. It offers convenience to students and local residents, creating a positive cycle—a win-win situation for everyone involved,” Ji Hongwei describes. With stable foot traffic, vendor income has similarly stabilized.

Currently, Qiantang has set up five “Mobile Benefit Vehicle” locations around China Metrology University, Hangzhou Vocational and Technical College, and Zhejiang Gongshang University, featuring 59 vehicles in total. The district plans to expand this initiative, aiming to establish over five mobile operating points near colleges and at least two at construction sites by 2026, creating over 100 job opportunities for vendors and averaging an additional 80,000 yuan in annual income per vendor.