Wang Caihua, 54, stands next to her table full of souvenirs, snacks and refreshments that she tries to barter and sell to tourists. Wang said its tough work but she sells her wares on the Mutianyu portion of the Great Wall every day so she can pay for her son's education. Alison Sullivan / For chinadaily.com.cn

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Chang Xilin, a vendor situated a few dozen steps above Wang, is angered by the company's attempt to get rid of her. She's spent four years working atop the landmark and insists she provides a much-needed service to visitors.

"Yes, we sell water to make money, but we also serve the people, right?" the 37-year-old said. The current vendors' presence on the Great Wall isn't exactly illegal, said Cao Haishan, a service manager at the company, but their business isn't regulated. Cao said his company may recruit its own vendors to set up stalls at Mutianyu.

Mutianyu opened for tourists in the late 1980s, following a government-led restoration and a surge in foreign tourists.

Chris Che, an expert guide with the Beijing-based WildChina tour company, said Mutianyu is less crowded than other locations such as Badaling, because of its distance from the capital.

Wang said growing up she didn't see many tourists at Mutianyu but has seen an increase since the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

Until recently Mutianyu attracted mostly foreign tourists, said Che, estimating it's now a 50-50 split between Chinese and foreign visitors.