China is deploying security to try to reassure a country on the brink of abyss

The Chinese government is stepping up measures to eliminate potential rioters and quell social discontent, after a wave of mass killings rocked the country and raised concerns about public safety.

Armed police were stationed outside schools, and barriers were erected nearby to prevent cars from hitting people. Police officers have increased their patrols at supermarkets, tourist attractions and other crowded places, and have pledged to improve regulation of knives and other weapons. Officials also promised to help the unemployed and distribute holiday benefits to those in need.

The security crackdown, which authorities have dubbed “Operation Winter” in some places, follows a series of recent attacks that have put a new spotlight on China’s faltering economy. In November, a driver plowed into a crowd of people outside a sports center in the city of Zhuhai, killing at least 35 people. The deadliest attack in China in a decade. A A stabbing attack killed eight peopleand Another car hit outside the schoolfollowed barely a week later. In all three cases, officials said the perpetrators were expressing financial dissatisfaction.

After the Zhuhai attack, Chinese leader Xi Jinping ordered officials to “strictly prevent extreme cases.” Authorities at all levels scrambled to comply.

The drivers of the two car attacks were sentenced to death late last month, in unusually quick trials that showed the government’s determination to crack down on potential copycats.

Projecting stability and control has long been one of the biggest preoccupations of the ruling Chinese Communist Party, an implicit justification for limiting citizens’ civil liberties. But this concern has become more important with the rise in unemployment rates among young people. Mortgage foreclosures rise The deterioration of international relations has fueled widespread anxiety about China’s future. Some government employees did not receive their wages due to the financial recession of local governments.

Public protests, mostly related to economic issues such as investment losses or unpaid wages, grew 18 percent in the first 11 months of 2024, compared with the previous year, according to tracking by Freedom House, a Washington-based advocacy group.

But Beijing has remained reluctant to bolster the country’s social safety net or provide significant direct relief to consumers. Instead, it relied on tougher tactics to root out those with grievances.

the Central government He urged officials to ensure social stability during the holiday season, saying in a December 27 notice that they should “conduct investigations into all kinds of conflicts, dangers and hidden dangers.”

In the northwestern Chinese city of Yinchuan, police officers investigated whether there were any incidents of bullying or disputes between faculty members or students, according to the British Daily Mail. press release.

In Yancheng, eastern China, police searched karaoke bars, rental accommodation and hotels for possible parking spaces.

In a Last meeting From villagers and local party officials in central Henan Province, police encouraged “everyone to actively report any conflicts and disputes that occurred in the village recently.” Under Mr. Xi, the Chinese government hasThere are renewed calls for ordinary residents to monitor each other.

The central government routinely issues guidance on ensuring a safe holiday season. But this year the instructions for social stability were more detailed. They identified places to monitor – including universities and sports venues – and called on officials to monitor public opinion and provide “positive guidance.”

Discussions about the attacks, and about economic discontent in general, have been heavily censored. Relatives of the victims were also prevented from speaking to journalists.

Economists and public commentators have suggested that the government should focus more on boosting consumer confidence, and providing stronger protections for ordinary people against financial hardship. Authorities have sometimes acknowledged these demands, as in their promises to combat migrant worker wage arrears, or to provide holiday handouts to the homeless or people with disabilities.

This month, many civil servants across the country discovered they had received a surprise pay rise, according to discussion on social media, although the government has not made any official announcement.

However, many calls for more fundamental reforms were censored and were themselves considered a threat to social stability.

“They should have been searching for the forces that turned these people into monsters, but instead they ran away to investigate the ‘Five Types of Losers,’” said Li Zhengping, a former prominent Chinese journalist who now lives abroad. he wrote on social media. He was referring to local government notices circulating online directing officials to monitor people who suffered losses, such as jobs or investments.

However, the same economic downturn that may be fueling some people’s grievances may also make it difficult to maintain heightened security.

Many local governments are already drowning in debt. He said they were now under intense pressure to heed Mr. Xi’s call to prevent mass incidents, but their finances and manpower would soon be under pressure. Hongchen Zhouis an assistant professor at Lingnan University in Hong Kong and studies Chinese governance.

“As long as no new incidents occur, the priority of public safety will decline for local governments until the next public outcry occurs,” he said.