After the mass killings rocked the country and raised fears about public safety, the Chinese government is stepping up measures to root out potential troublemakers and quell social unrest.
Armed police are stationed outside schools, and bollards are set up nearby to prevent cars from running over people. Police officers have stepped up patrols in supermarkets, tourist attractions and crowded areas and have pledged to better regulate knives and other weapons. Officials have promised to help the unemployed and distribute holiday subsidies to those in need.
The security push, dubbed “Operation Winter” by authorities in some places, comes after a series of recent attacks that have refocused attention on China's struggling economy. In November, a driver drove into a crowd in front of a sports center in Zhuhai, killing at least 35 people. The deadliest attack in China in a decade. A a stabbing that killed eight peopleand another car collided in front of the schoolbut followed a week later. In all three cases, officials said they uncovered the criminals' financial grievances.
After the Zhuhai attack, Chinese leader Xi Jinping ordered officials to “strictly prevent extreme cases.” Authorities at all levels competed for compliance.
The drivers involved in the two car attacks were sentenced to death late last month in unusually speedy trials that showed the government's determination to crack down on would-be copycats.
Projecting stability and control has long been one of the ruling Chinese Communist Party's biggest concerns, an implicit justification for restricting citizens' civil liberties. But this occupation has become even more central as high unemployment among the youth. increased collateral and deteriorating international relations have fueled widespread anxiety about China's future. As local governments' finances have stagnated, some government workers have gone without pay.
Public protests, mostly over economic issues such as investment losses or unpaid wages, rose 18 percent in the first 11 months of 2024 from a year earlier, according to a tracker by Freedom House, a Washington-based advocacy group.
But Beijing has been reluctant to strengthen the country's social safety net or offer direct assistance to consumers. Instead, it relied on more heavy-handed tactics to root out those with grievances.
The the central government urged officials to ensure social stability during the festive season, saying in a Dec. 27 notice that they “must conduct extensive investigations for any conflicts and hidden risks and threats.”
In the northwestern Chinese city of Yinchuan, police officers investigated whether there had been any violence or disputes between teachers and students. news release.
In the eastern Chinese city of Yancheng, police searched karaoke bars, rental houses and hotels.
a last meeting Along with villagers and local party officials in central Henan province, police “encouraged everyone to actively report any recent conflicts and disputes in the countryside.” Under Mr. Xi, the Chinese government rurges ordinary residents to look out for each other.
The central government regularly issues guidelines to ensure a safe holiday season. But this year, the instructions on social stability were more detailed. They singled out places to watch out for, including campuses and sports fields, and urged officials to monitor public opinion and provide “positive guidance.”
Discussions of the attacks and economic discontent in general have been heavily censored. Relatives of the deceased were also prevented from talking to journalists.
Economists and public commentators have suggested that the government should focus more on boosting consumer confidence and offering stronger protections against financial hardship for ordinary people. Officials have sometimes acknowledged these demands, such as in promises to tackle wage arrears for migrant workers or provide holiday gifts to the homeless or disabled.
This month, many civil servants across the country discovered they had been given surprise pay rises due to discussions on social media, although the government did not make any official announcement.
However, many calls for more fundamental reforms have been censored, themselves seen as a threat to social stability.
“They should have been looking for what forces turned these people into animals, but instead they ran to investigate the 'five kinds of losers,'” said Li Chengpeng, a prominent former Chinese journalist now living abroad. wrote on the social network. He cited notices posted online by the local government, directing officials to follow up on people who have suffered losses such as jobs or investments.
However, the same economic downturn that may be fueling some people's complaints could also make it harder to maintain enhanced security measures.
Many local governments are already swimming in debt. They are now under intense pressure to respond to Mr. Xi's call to prevent mass incidents, but their money and manpower will soon be strained, he said. Hongshen ZhuAssociate professor studying Chinese administration at Lingnan University in Hong Kong.
“Unless there is a new incident, until the next public outcry occurs, public safety will become less of a priority for local governments,” he said.