KateYHuang
07-31-2004, 08:29 PM
Over 1.5 Million Chinese People Protested In May
Plainclothes police and security guards surround a woman in an effort to stop her from unfurling a protest banner in front of Beijing's city government offices.
Recently, all areas in China except Tibet saw protests. At the beginning of June, the Central Committee on Social Maintenance of Public Security issued an internal announcement that said that in May, except for Tibet, the whole nation had protests, and appeal activities, including 257 cities of different levels, and 792 counties.
Just as before, when the Chinese government publicizes statistics on protests, they prepare themselves for future violence using vocabulary such as, ˇ§some of the opposing forces have used the negligence of officials, unemployment, violation of regulations, illegal acts, social demands, public opinion and popular indignation to spread social disorder and stir up conflict.ˇ¨
The Levels of Demonstrations, Protests and Appeals
At the beginning of April, the Chinese government implemented a new statute regarding groups making appeals through protests and demonstrations that says that above 500 people is considered a small group, above 2,000 is a medium group and above 5,000 people is a large group. In key cities and special economic zones, incidents are categorized as an ˇ§outburstˇ¨ or a ˇ§large-scale incidentˇ¨ where over five percent of the whole residential population participated in demonstrations, protests, and appeals.
According to the newest orders from the Chinese government, all demonstrations, protests, and appeals that are over 30 people must be reported to the provincial level authorities within 12 hours, and a preliminary explanation must be included. If the protest is over 100 people, then it must be reported to the central government within 24 hours. If it is over 500 people, it must be the reported to the central government, and a summarized report must be turned in within 24 hours and the related officials should seek to understand, counsel, and properly handle the situation in order to avoid further problems. If it is over 5,000 people, then it must be reported within two hours with updated reports every two hours to the central committee, so that leading officials can calm the situation, and avoid conflict. If it is an outburst of large-scale demonstrations, protests, and appeals, it must be reported immediately, and the countryˇ¦s political leader must come and direct the situation. Government departments that are tasked with handling protests, such as public security and public policy, must interrupt their time-off to put society back in order, and protect electricity, water, airports, banks and other such crucial public resources.
In May 2004, over 1,548,000 people in China participated in demonstrations, protests, and appeal activities. The number of participants from each province and area is listed below:
Provinces (areas) and large cities followed by number of people who participated
Beijing 800
Tianjin (city) 2,600
Hebei province 62,000
Shanxi province 114,000
Neimenggu 8,400
Liaozhu province 74,600
Jilin province 21,300
Heilongjiang 62,400
Shanghai 2,800
Jiangsu province 55,000
Zhejiang province 38,200
Anhui province 140,000
Fujian province 12,200
Shanxi province 46,000
Shandong province 54,400
Henan province 217,500
Hubei province 162,100
Hunan province 134,800
Guangdong province 47,500
Guangxi Zhuang Ethnic Autonomous Region 16,600
Hainan province 3,200
Chongqing (city) 26,500
Sichuan province 104,000
Guizhou province 18,300
Yunan province 36,200
Tibet, no record
Shaanxi province 72,400
Gansu province 2,700
Qinghai province 5,800
Zhusia Hui Ethnic Autonomous Region 2,600
Xinjiang Uighur Ethnic Autonomous Region 3,400
Forty-nine of the above incidents have caused bloodshed, vehicle and building damages.
Plainclothes police and security guards surround a woman in an effort to stop her from unfurling a protest banner in front of Beijing's city government offices.
Recently, all areas in China except Tibet saw protests. At the beginning of June, the Central Committee on Social Maintenance of Public Security issued an internal announcement that said that in May, except for Tibet, the whole nation had protests, and appeal activities, including 257 cities of different levels, and 792 counties.
Just as before, when the Chinese government publicizes statistics on protests, they prepare themselves for future violence using vocabulary such as, ˇ§some of the opposing forces have used the negligence of officials, unemployment, violation of regulations, illegal acts, social demands, public opinion and popular indignation to spread social disorder and stir up conflict.ˇ¨
The Levels of Demonstrations, Protests and Appeals
At the beginning of April, the Chinese government implemented a new statute regarding groups making appeals through protests and demonstrations that says that above 500 people is considered a small group, above 2,000 is a medium group and above 5,000 people is a large group. In key cities and special economic zones, incidents are categorized as an ˇ§outburstˇ¨ or a ˇ§large-scale incidentˇ¨ where over five percent of the whole residential population participated in demonstrations, protests, and appeals.
According to the newest orders from the Chinese government, all demonstrations, protests, and appeals that are over 30 people must be reported to the provincial level authorities within 12 hours, and a preliminary explanation must be included. If the protest is over 100 people, then it must be reported to the central government within 24 hours. If it is over 500 people, it must be the reported to the central government, and a summarized report must be turned in within 24 hours and the related officials should seek to understand, counsel, and properly handle the situation in order to avoid further problems. If it is over 5,000 people, then it must be reported within two hours with updated reports every two hours to the central committee, so that leading officials can calm the situation, and avoid conflict. If it is an outburst of large-scale demonstrations, protests, and appeals, it must be reported immediately, and the countryˇ¦s political leader must come and direct the situation. Government departments that are tasked with handling protests, such as public security and public policy, must interrupt their time-off to put society back in order, and protect electricity, water, airports, banks and other such crucial public resources.
In May 2004, over 1,548,000 people in China participated in demonstrations, protests, and appeal activities. The number of participants from each province and area is listed below:
Provinces (areas) and large cities followed by number of people who participated
Beijing 800
Tianjin (city) 2,600
Hebei province 62,000
Shanxi province 114,000
Neimenggu 8,400
Liaozhu province 74,600
Jilin province 21,300
Heilongjiang 62,400
Shanghai 2,800
Jiangsu province 55,000
Zhejiang province 38,200
Anhui province 140,000
Fujian province 12,200
Shanxi province 46,000
Shandong province 54,400
Henan province 217,500
Hubei province 162,100
Hunan province 134,800
Guangdong province 47,500
Guangxi Zhuang Ethnic Autonomous Region 16,600
Hainan province 3,200
Chongqing (city) 26,500
Sichuan province 104,000
Guizhou province 18,300
Yunan province 36,200
Tibet, no record
Shaanxi province 72,400
Gansu province 2,700
Qinghai province 5,800
Zhusia Hui Ethnic Autonomous Region 2,600
Xinjiang Uighur Ethnic Autonomous Region 3,400
Forty-nine of the above incidents have caused bloodshed, vehicle and building damages.