A recorded phone conversation has circulated widely on Chinese-language social media after being shared by independent commentator Cai Shenkun. The recording allegedly captures a Beijing police officer calling local resident Chen Yongmei after she described her family’s financial hardships in a private online chat group. Normally the police harasses the citizens and demands them not to say anything deviating from the communist party’s tune.
However, instead of backing down, Chen defended her comments, saying they reflected her family’s reality. She said her family had gone without income for three months, was struggling to pay her child’s tuition, faced outstanding insurance loans, and could not afford surgery for an elderly family member. When the officer suggested she seek assistance from the local community office, Chen replied that repeated appeals had produced no results. She criticized officials for remaining insulated while ordinary citizens struggled to survive.
At one point, Chen exclaimed, “What else do you expect me to say? Aren’t you the biggest bully in China?” The officer responded, “Your situation was not caused by me. I was only trying to understand the circumstances.” Chen then ended the call.
Commentators noted that the exchange reportedly occurred in Beijing, home to China’s most elite and best-resourced domestic security apparatus. They argued that if even Beijing police responded to public anger primarily by retreating and deflecting responsibility, it will be harder for local police in other regions to control public grievances.
Source: Aboluo, July 31, 2026
https://www.aboluowang.com/2026/0731/2414892.html