Hong Kong's iconic street hawkers, like 92-year-old Chan Tak Ching, are struggling under tightening regulations despite their historic role in supporting the city's poor. The government has drastically reduced hawking licenses since 1972, leaving aging vendors and their assistants in legal limbo.

Lawmaker Doreen Kong is urging reforms to preserve hawkers as cultural symbols and protect their livelihoods. Without policy changes, traditional street food stalls and itinerant hawkers risk disappearing from Hong Kong's urban landscape. Sociologists warn that losing hawkers means losing a vital part of the city's heritage and community life.

This video summary was created by AI from the original DW script. It was edited by a journalist before publication.