Daily commentary about China by TIME correspondents.

"The People of Shishou Are Angry!"

Another mass incident involving tens of thousands in Hubei Province. And once again it was sparked by what would normally be a relatively minor dispute over an alleged suicide. The speed of the reaction (and numbers) by townspeople to the rumors that police/officials may have been involved in the death is testament to the extraordinary depth of resentment among ordinary Chinese against the authorities. (Thing about the online support, too, that cop killer Yang Jia received or outpouring of sympathy in the Deng Yujiao case). I have long felt that such "mass incidents" were local and containable. Not exactly full of noise and fury signifying nothing, but certainly not a harbinger of doom for the cadres in Beijing. But a string of incidents like Shishou (think Weng'an or the clashes in Longan Gansu etc etc) and many smaller episodes are forcing me to reconsider. If so many Chinese are on a such a hair trigger that they'll pour into the streets on the basis of rumors about the death of an unknown, things are reaching a pretty serious pass. Anyway, here's the youtube footage of the confrontation that has been going on since June 19. (Here's a good summary of the background at the invaluable Global Voices site):

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  • 1

    Outlaws of the Marsh: attack corrupt local government but will defend the national government.

  • 2

    Another event where nobody died and must be forgotten by next year, as the big River Crab would demand.

  • 3

    The plot thickens: http://tinyurl.com/ldr9jy

    Is this from a movie script ? May be real life is more surprising than scripts.

  • 4

    All Chinese would believe that no body died in incidences like this:http://tinyurl.com/mnehsz
    especially if it happens in China.

  • 5

    Let's talk about something much more encouraging: City government of Beijing out spends New York City on cars - not by much, only a 100 fold. City government of Beijing operates over 400,000 non-emergency use vehicles, while New Yorks has only 4,000. This little indicator really shows that China don't lack money at all. And recently, Chinese government has included Mercedes and BMW as their official fleet of cars. This is a great move for the Chinese government. As the Chinese automobile industry is growing leaps and bounds, the Chinese government is leaving the capacity of the local industry to fulfill the demand for cars, and Chinese favorite brand at that: Chinese made cars. This will also deprive the western nations of their supply of Mercedes and BMW's. What a way to make those whites suffer.

  • 6

    Don't read this if you are in China. It could be endangering your health: http://tinyurl.com/lnmac2

  • 7

    http://tinyurl.com/luxbaz

    People in Hubei shouldn't make too much out of this. Eventhough the chance of a miracle happening is minuscule, it is still possible. Furthermore, these government officials have sacrificed themselves to join the government to serve the people, they decisions should be respected. People should make allowance to let them enrich their friends and family because of their sacrifice.

  • 8

    Johnsmith9876 gets a gold medal for commenting stamina.

  • 9

    This world is nothing but a colossal platform of injustice and fraudulence.

    Whatever the nature of the government may be -- socialism, communism, democracy, feudalism, or autocracy -- the bottom line is similar, i.e. trying relentlessly to grab as much power and wealth as one can, and as long as possible.

    How not to get angry when one has been ill-treated and oppressed?

    How not to rebel when one has been enslaved both physically and mentally, year after year, decade after decade?
    (Tan Boon Tee)

  • 10

    Tanboontee:

    As long as u r living this world, you will face it. u can never be free even u are staying the democracy country. unless u will find out the truth. only the truth can set u free.

    can you find out the truth? no way. only the truth can find you.

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