Protests in China Surge in Second Quarter, According to Freedom House Study

August 31, 2024 TruthUSA

A U.S.-based nonprofit human rights watch group recorded 805 dissent incidents in China from April to June according to its latest report published on Aug. 28. This marks an 18 percent increase from the same period in 2023, despite the Chinese regime’s tight control.

The majority of the incidents documented by Freedom House’s China Dissent Monitor (CDM) in the 370 provincial cities in China were related to labor issues (44 percent) and homeowners’ protests (21 percent).

Guangdong Province in the south had the highest number of protests (13 percent), followed by Shandong, Hebei, Henan, and Zhejiang. Shenzhen, Xi’an, and Sanya saw more protests over economic issues compared to other cities. Several high-protest cities are located in Guangdong Province.

Two Chinese real estate companies, Country Garden and Evergrande, were involved in the most property-related protests: 106 incidents linked to Country Garden and 71 incidents related to Evergrande. These protests were driven by concerns such as unfinished real estate projects, sudden workplace closures, and wage payment delays.

Despite Beijing’s intervention measures, China’s economy is facing stagnation after four decades of development. The country struggles to address significant challenges like the real estate crisis, a trade war with the United States, the crackdown on the private sector, and the long-term impacts of COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions.

CDM also documented protests in rural areas linked to forced evictions and land expropriation, as well as protests involving taxi drivers in cities over rising taxi fees, among other issues.

CCP’s Legitimacy Crisis Deepens

Many of the protests were quelled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) due to concerns that they could pose significant political risks, as highlighted in the report.

Observers note that the rise in protests in China despite the CCP’s stringent control signals a legitimacy crisis for the regime.

People hold banners and chant slogans during a protest at the entrance to a branch of China's central bank in Zhengzhou in central China's Henan Province, on July 10, 2022, after four rural banks stopped allowing customers to withdraw cash since April 2022. (Yang/AP Photo) — People hold banners and chant slogans during a protest at the entrance to a branch of China’s central bank in Zhengzhou in central China’s Henan Province, on July 10, 2022, after four rural banks stopped allowing customers to withdraw cash since April 2022. Yang/AP Photo

Tseng Chien-Yuan, chairman of the board of New School for Democracy, noted that China is experiencing a unique situation where even the middle class, including property owners, are joining protests, indicating a severe economic crisis in the country.

He emphasized that the CCP’s legitimacy, which relies on economic progress, is significantly undermined by the current economic hardships. Despite strict surveillance, people continue to protest, signaling a looming crisis.

Wu, Se-Chih, a researcher at Cross-Strait Policy Association in Taiwan, highlighted that social protests usually erupt when people can no longer tolerate the situation. He mentioned that the actual number of protests is likely higher than reported due to the CCP’s control and censorship.

Freedom House acknowledged the challenges of collecting information about dissent in China due to media restrictions and associated risks. The China Dissent Monitor aims to bridge this information gap by gathering data from various sources.

Wu suggested that the CCP’s traditional methods of suppressing protests are becoming less effective, especially amid financial troubles. He predicted that if the Chinese society faces economic turmoil, it will be increasingly challenging for the CCP to maintain control, potentially leading to its collapse.

Luo Ya contributed to this report.

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