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Activist Compensated for Being Detained by Police

Liang Zhuqiang, a 57 year old entrepreneur in Guangzhou who was arrested for “inciting subversion of State power” only to be released due to insufficient evidence, filed a claim against local authorities and was awarded compensation of 41,087.64 yuan (US$6,324.53). 

“At 15:30 on December 10, 2014, police found that, on December 4, 2014, the suspect had published online remarks inciting subversion of State power, which caused serious harm to national security.” It was believed that Liang posted remarks supporting Hong Kong students and residents in their protests against the Beijing supported Hong Kong government. 
On December 11, 2014, Liang was detained for “provocative and disturbing behavior.” He was formally arrested on December 25, upon approval of the Guangzhou Liwan District Procuratorate office. 
Liang’s case was then transferred to the Guangzhou City People’s Procuratorate Office. On June 5, 2015, the Guangzhou City People’s Procuratorate Office decided not to bring charges due to insufficient evidence. 
After his release, Liang filed a claim against the Guangzhou Liwan District Procuratorate Office for State compensation asking for a written apology, restoration of his reputation and compensation for the 187 days he was held in detention. On December 15, 2015, the Guangzhou Liwan District Prosecutor’s Office issued a written decision to compensate him in the amount of 41,087.64 yuan. 
Source: Weiquanwang, December 20, 2015 
http://wqw2010.blogspot.com/2015/12/4.html
Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Study Times: Approaches to Handling Social Conflicts

Study Times published an article proposing several approaches that would help reduce social conflicts as China faces “the grim situation of public security” and as “social conflicts and social unrest remain high.”  In order to handle social unrest or public safety emergencies, these approaches focus on the following: establishing mechanisms to arbitrate conflicts within the local communities and within trades, recruiting retired Party members and officials to work with those released from prison, encouraging trade associations to exercise self-monitoring and self-disciplinary functions with their members, incentivizing security firms to provide public security services, utilizing trade unions to ensure production safety, and establishing professional response teams, both privately and government funded. 

Source: Study Times, December 24, 2016 
http://www.studytimes.cn/zydx/SHFZ/ZENGCYGL/2015-12-24/4065.html
Briefings | | |   Social Stability

BBC Chinese: Britain Criticized China’s Maltreatment of Diplomats and Reporters

BBC Chinese recently reported that the Chinese government accused well-known Chinese human rights lawyer Pu Zhiqiang of “inciting racial hatred” and “picking quarrels.” When British diplomats and reporters attempted to attend, observe, and report on the trial that Chinese authorities said was "open to the public," the Chinese police maltreated them. Over ten diplomats from other countries were blocked from observing the trial although observation is allowed under Chinese law. British Foreign Minister Hugo Swire expressed his concerns to the Chinese government regarding the “unacceptable” treatment of British diplomats and reporters. The spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs defended the Chinese police by suggesting that Chinese law enforcement was trying to maintain order at the scene and all parties must cooperate. He also made the statement that all foreign countries must respect China’s “judicial sovereignty.” This comment, however, did not appear later in the Ministry’s official records.
Source: BBC Chinese, December 17, 2015
http://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/uk/2015/12/151217_uk_china_reporters
Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Beijing Raised Red Level Alert for Air Pollution for the First Time

Well-known Chinese news site Sina recently reported that the city government of Beijing put the city under Red Alert between December 8 and December 10 because of severe air pollution. This was the first time the city raised the Red Alert, which has a significant impact on the normal life of the residents. The Red Level Alert recommends closure of middle schools, primary schools, and kindergartens, flexible schedules for businesses, a temporary ban on the transportation of construction materials, and a temporary ban of all outdoor construction work. In addition only vehicles with odd tag numbers can drive on odd dates and only even number ones on even dates. Dozens of government branches were mobilized to enforce the rules and to provide necessary assistance to those who need help under these rules.
 
Source: Sina, December 7, 2015
http://news.sina.com.cn/c/nd/2015-12-07/doc-ifxmhqac0138885.shtml
Briefings | | |   Social Stability

RFA: Hundreds of Villagers in Shenzhen Protested Decision to Build Huge Garbage Incineration Plant

On Wednesday, December 9, 2015, hundreds of people from Jingui Village located in Pingshan New District, Shenzhen City, protested against the authorities because they plan to build a large garbage incineration plant inside their village. Villagers went to the Civic Center to sit-in quietly. The police violently dispersed the protesters, arrested over a dozen people, and wounded one elderly woman. Mainland Chinese media refused to interview villagers or report the incident.

On November 24, 2015, the Shenzhen City government had demanded that the villagers agree to the government’s proposal to build the world’s largest garbage incineration plant in their village; the plant will burn 5,000 tons of garbage each day. The government only gave the villagers one day to respond; otherwise the government would assume that the villagers agreed unconditionally with their proposal.

In order to protect their water sources and land from becoming polluted, Jingui villagers started protesting on November 24, 2015. The sit-in on December 9 was the fourth large-scale protest. On the previous day, the villagers held a demonstration by marching on the street. For many days, they held a sit-in in front of the Dapeng District government building. The government officials, however, have refused to respond to the villagers’ requests. No media in China are willing to report on the incident.   

Source: Radio Free Asia, December 9, 2015
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/shenzhen-12092015073938.html

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Over One Thousand Steel Workers in Tangshan City Protested over Wages Seven Months in Arrears

On November 23, 2015, more than one thousand workers from Tangshan Songting Iron and Steel Co., LTD. protested once again over their wages being seven months in arrears. The workers marched on the road in the center of Qian’an City, which is located in Tangshan City, Hebei Province. They gathered together later in front of the Qian’an City government building, holding banners such as “Shame on the Company: [Worker’s] Wages in Arrears; Who Will Look after the Workers’ Interests?” A large number of police stood on guard at the site.

On November 14, 2015, Tangshan Songting Iron and Steel Co., LTD. had announced a companywide shutdown. The company owes thousands of workers seven months of unpaid wages. On November 14, the workers protested by collectively jumping down out of the company building. On November 16, the workers surrounded and blocked the Qian’an City government and did not leave until the city government promised them something.

Since the beginning of this year, many private iron and steel companies in the Tangshan region, including Xinhai and Songting, have been announcing shutdowns due to their continued losses. 

Source: RFA, November 23, 2015
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/Xinwen/7-11232015112821.html

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Xinhua: Northeast China’s Peak Air Pollution Level Reached Record High

Xinhua recently reported that Shenyang, the capital city of Liaoning Province in Northeast China, suffered several days of severe air pollution, along with over ten other cities in the region. On November 8, Shenyang’s PM2.5 pollution level went above 1400, which was the highest number on record. [Editor’s note: The World Health Organization defines the safe PM2.5 level as 25 or below. New York’s PM2.5 peak level was 68 on October 5, 2013. Greenpeace reported the highest PMI ever previously recorded as 900 in Beijing on January 13, 2013.] 

The City of Shenyang’s air pollution emergency response team set the Emergency Level to the Top Level, when the entire downtown was covered with gray smog. However, hours after the issuance of the emergency alert, no information was available on any of the websites of the government branches that are members of the emergency response team. In the meantime, the Shenyang Bureau of Environment Protection’s official website went offline and the city’s Environment Protection Hotline was not even aware of the Top Level emergency status until late at night. Several hospitals told the media that the respiratory outpatient volume doubled in two days. PM2.5 particles are air pollutants with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less, small enough to invade even the smallest airways. 
Source: Xinhua, November 8, 2015
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2015-11/08/c_128405980.htm
Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Aging Population to Accelerate in China; 70 Percent of Seniors are Empty Nesters

Guangming Daily reported that the National Senior Council published an estimate that, from 2015 to 2035, the senior population will increase by 10 million people each year. Currently 70 percent of the seniors in the middle to large cities are empty nesters. The statistics from the Council also indicated that China will enter into a period in which the growth in the number in China’s aging population will accelerate. The estimated growth from 2015 to 2035 was from 212 million to 418 million.

Source: Guangming Daily, November 9, 2015
http://politics.gmw.cn/2015-11/09/content_17653952.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability