Beijingers Protest Proposed High-Speed Rail Line

Shenyang-Beijing rail protest
A not-in-my-backyard-type protest took place yesterday in our fair city, featuring about 300 demonstrators in Chaoyang District who didn’t like that a proposed high-speed rail connecting Beijing and Shenyang would run so close to their homes. People’s Daily reports that Shenyang officials have been eagerly anticipating the start of construction since the plan was publicized on... Read more »

Police In Vietnam Detain Anti-China Protesters, Again

Vietnam protesters against China
According to AFP, more than 20 people in Hanoi have been arrested today for anti-China protests. About 200 protesters waved banners and chanted, “Down with China’s aggression!” A similar demonstration was broken up in Ho Chi Minh City. AFP: Vietnam, which has begun exploring for oil in what it claims as its territorial waters, last week... Read more »

Villagers Clash With Police Over Proposed Power Plant, Flip Over Vehicles [VIDEO]

Wenzhou protest 1
Sources are saying that scattered protests involving “more than 1,000 villagers” (SCMP, via Hong Kong-based Information Centre for Human Rights and Democracy) in Wenzhou, Zheijang province have resulted in either “hundreds” (SCMP), “200” (Want China Times) or “more than 10” injuries (Radio Free Asia). It began in Longgang township on Tuesday, where villagers were unhappy about... Read more »

Here’s A Petition To Free Zhai Xiaobing, Arrested For His Infamous “Final Destination” Tweet

Stariver tweet
Zhai Xiaobing, the financial worker who was arrested on November 7 for tweeting under his @stariver Twitter account that the National Congress would be beset by calamity a la Final Destination the movie, is still in jail. To recap: a man — not even an activist — is in jail for tweeting — that’s behind the... Read more »

Ningbo Protests Against Chemical Plant Heat Up As City Announces, Perhaps Dubiously, Halt To PX Project

Ningbo PX 2
Another widespread protest against a factory in China has yielded, at least on paper, another victory, following the one in Shifang, Sichuan province in July. Does it matter that no one believes the city government’s statement saying it’ll halt its construction plans? First the background: In Ningbo, Zhejiang province, thousands of locals have clashed with... Read more »

Protests In Ningbo Over Chemical Plant May Get Ugly, Netizens Fear [UPDATE]

Ningbo chemical plant protest
Reuters reports that more than a thousand people gathered in Ningbo, Zhejiang province yesterday to protest plans for a petrochemical plant that is a subsidiary of China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation. And according to the BBC, witnesses said authorities used tear gas and have arrested some people. Searches on Youku for “Ningbo” turn up nothing. Sina... Read more »

The Spark That Started The Luzhou Riot This Week Was Probably Just A Rumor

Luzhou dead driver
People rioted in Luzhou, Sichuan province on Wednesday evening after they heard that police had beaten a truck driver to death in broad daylight. Tea Leaf Nation relayed several messages from incensed netizens who never doubted it, notably from a Sina Weibo user, @Aluo阿罗, who declared, “Luzhou police have beaten someone to death, causing tens of thousands... Read more »

Riots In Luzhou After Traffic Cops Beat A Driver To Death [UPDATE]

Luzhou 2
They’re rioting again in Sichuan province. Tea Leaf Nation reports that yesterday evening, an anti-police protest turned violent after three police officers beat a driver to death in broad daylight in front of several witnesses. (Someone at the scene began filming after the driver was killed; the video is embedded here — no matter who you... Read more »