The northeastern port city of Dalian has become China's first city to ban begging in some public areas. The Dalian municipal government on May 8 passed a regulation in principle on the management of begging. One part of the regulation in particular forbids beggars from coming within 100 metres of municipal-level Party and government buildings and military areas. If implemented, similar begging bans would then be imposed on areas near communication centres, highways, public squares, three-star hotels and above, tourist resorts and shopping malls.

This regulation adopted by Dalian municipal government has become a topic enthusiastically discussed in the press, rekindling the controversy over how to deal with beggars. Some people argue that beggars have adversely affected ordinary people's lives, therefore such regulations as the one adopted by Dalian are necessary for the purpose of strengthening begging management and maintaining public social order; others deny this, saying that begging is a civil right which should be respected and the regulation is an infringement of civil rights by placing limits on free movement.

Beggars are an inescapable part of our society and we have to deal with this reality. Begging is a global phenomenon. It is not found in our society alone, but rather it is found everywhere, in both developed and developing countries. Among beggars there are old people in ill health, the handicapped, the blind, retarded people, children and even the able-bodied. A large proportion of beggars are people who are unable to get on with life in a normal fashion because of poverty, disability or other reasons. They can find no way out but to live on the alms of others at the expense of their dignity. On the other hand, there are some people who think that begging is an easy way to make a living. All one has to do, they think, is to wear ratty clothes, smear one's face with dirt to look darker, wrap one's arms in red stained gauze, then go begging on the streets, and the money rolls in.

No country has outlawed begging completely. Beggars, like all citizens, have rights guaranteed by the Constitution and law. Nevertheless, there is no absolute freedom for people in this world. Beggars are not exceptions to this rule. From this perspective, it is right to impose some kind of restrictions on begging. So the problem is not whether there should be restrictions, the problem is about what kind of restrictions there should be.

In dealing with the begging problem, perhaps we can learn from the corresponding situation in other countries. In many countries panhandlers are required to obtain permits, and their conduct is regulated by law. Aggressive begging is prohibited, and beggars should beg in a proper manner. For example, they should take what is given them, and not dictate to the giver what they want. Beggars should not pester passers-by for alms.

Beggars are not detrimental to the image of a city or region, what is detrimental to the image is disguised beggars or aggressive begging. In this sense, the real challenge for us is not to try to prohibit begging but to regulate it, not only as a reaction to the underlying social problem, but also out of a duty to care for the real poor.