A new government proposal would make it illegal to beg or entertain passengers in buses and subway trains in urban areas.

According to the Legislative Affairs Office of the State Council that announced it was seeking public opinion on the draft Friday, other bad habits targeted in the proposal included use of alcohol, transporting pets, and other acts considered disturbing to fellow passengers.

At the end of 2009, there were more than 411,900 buses and 1,011 kilometers of subway lines with 5,479 trains in Chinese cities, according to the regulation.

Guangzhou in Guangdong Province, the host of the Asian Games, has organized 16 teams to get rid of the beggars, Guangdong-based New Express reported.

Li Jing, a Beijing resident, told the Global Times that harder punishment is needed to discourage people from begging.

"Those beggars whom they send away will sneak into the buses again, the police should arrest and fine them," she said.

Some people said the public should make room for begging entertainers. "It is not fair to say their behavior is disturbing," said Han Han, a newspaper commentator. "Their behavior barely disturbs anyone, let alone posing a transportation threat."

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