Social Stability - 145. page

The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) recently issued a report claiming that the size of China’s middle class stands at a quarter of the population and is growing at the rate of one percent per year.

Cheng Xiaonong, a U.S. based China expert, commented that “The concept of ‘middle class’ is borrowed from the West. There is a serious problem with using it in China. … The government willfully categorizes some people as middle class, which then becomes a banner for the government to tout its achievements. Government think tanks such as CASS then begin to dance with the government, using a variety of statistical indicators to put people into the bucket of the so-called middle class. If you look at public opinion, most Chinese people do not consider themselves to be middle class.”

Source: Radio Free Asia, March 26, 2011
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/zhong-03262011011353.html

Zhang Qingli, Secretary of the Party Committee in Tibet, recently discussed the development plans for Tibet for the next five years.  He mentioned tightly controlling social stability – a severe crackdown on separatist and disruptive activities is planned. “The stability of Tibet matters for the stability of the whole nation; the security of Tibet matters for national security. … (We should) always maintain a high degree of awareness, and strictly guard against and harshly crack down on all separatist and disruptive activities. … (We should) thoroughly expose and criticize the Dalai clique, so that the people can tell right from wrong.” Zhang also focused on enhancing the establishment and expansion of Chinese Communist Party organizations at the grassroots level.

Source: China Tibetan News, March 14, 2011
http://www.chinatibetnews.com/zhengfuzaixian/2011-03/14/content_655645.htm

The Party Committee of the Ministry of Public Security recently issued a nationwide notice within the police system to “combat corruption,” emphasizing “zero tolerance” on problems about which the general public felt strongly. The notice mentions “unnatural death of personnel involved in cases,” suggesting widespread police brutality during investigations and interrogations, and “management of property involved in cases,” hinting at embezzlement. It also bans police officers from participating in land acquisition and resettlement activities, as in recent years the police have been widely used to expel local residents from of their homes, sometimes resulting in their death. 

Source: People’s Daily, March 3, 2011
http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/1027/14053491.html

Sources:
China News Service, March 16, 2011 http://www.chinanews.com/tp/2011/03-16/2911090.shtml
Sohu IT, March 20, 2011 http://roll.sohu.com/20110320/n304608364.shtml

Outlook Weekly, a magazine owned by Xinhua, conducted a survey from February 13 to 18, 2011, in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, and Chengdu. The survey statistics show the underclass in China is growing. Fifty-eight percent of those surveyed believe that there are few opportunities for the underclass to move up, while a meager 7.5% think opportunities are abundant. Seventy-seven percent believe that the underclass in China is growing. The survey also shows that many are concerned that they may become part of the underclass. Sixty-five percent think that unemployed college graduates are likely to join the underclass.

Source: China News Service, March 7 2011
http://www.chinanews.com/gn/2011/03-07/2887584.shtml

On March 1, 2011, the Shanghai government started to enforce “Regulations for Comprehensive Management of Shanghai’s Public Security,” which, for the first time, included overseeing commercial and residential buildings and the Internet.

The Regulations subjected the owners of commercial buildings, companies providing affordable housing, and property management to neighborhood Comprehensive Management Committees (an agency at lowest level of China’s national system of social control) and local police authorities. The regulations provided that “public security authorities, state security agencies, and other government organs in economic and information technology, culture, radio, television, and communications shall strengthen their supervision over the Internet, establish and improve the comprehensive prevention and control system for network security, and stop and punish related illegalities and criminal activities.”

Source: Jiefang Daily, March 2, 2011
http://newspaper.jfdaily.com/jfrb/html/2011-03/02/content_521814.htm

According to the Population Management Corps of the Beijing Public Security Bureau, the city government mobilized more than 700,000 civilians living in 2,902 communities to join the public security forces for the “Two Conferences” (the National People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference) currently taking place in Beijing. These civilian residents serve mainly in the areas of community patrol, security protection, parking management, transient population administration, monitoring key traffic routes, and watching company doors.

Source: Jinghua Times, March 2, 2011
http://epaper.jinghua.cn/html/2011-03/02/content_636380.htm

During the “Two Sessions,” Beijing Daily published an editorial stating that, in the midst of social turmoil in the Middle East, foreign forces with ulterior motives are attempting to use the Internet to stir up social crises in China. The editorial reminds people to protect China’s economic accomplishments and the social stability that it has gained over the past 30 years.

The article also warned those foreign forces who intend to encourage illegal gatherings and incite “street politics” that the Chinese people do not welcome their attempts, which will eventually end up in failure. The article concluded, “Safeguarding stability is the wish and voice of the entire Chinese people.”

Source: Beijing Daily, March 5, 2011
http://www.bjd.com.cn/10jbgd/201103/t20110305_664250.html