China cancels waste project after protests turn violent

[mia]

Source: Reuters

(Reuters) - Chinese officials cancelled an industrial waste pipeline project on Saturday after anti-pollution demonstrators occupied a government office in eastern China, destroying computers and overturning cars.

The demonstration was the latest in a string of protests sparked by fears of environmental degradation and highlights the social tensions the government in Beijing faces as it approaches a leadership transition this year....

Several protesters entered the city government's main building and were seen smashing computers, overturning desks and throwing documents out the windows to loud cheers from the crowd. Reuters witnessed five cars and one minibus being overturned.

The outpouring of public anger is emblematic of the rising discontent facing Chinese leaders, who are obsessed with maintaining stability and struggling to balance growth with rising public anger over environmental threats....



Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/28/us-china-environment-protest-idUSBRE86R02Y20120728

[davidpdx]

1. Good for them they should be discontented

The government is screwing people and corruption is still rampant. Social media is making it impossible for them to hit all this shit. I spent 10 months there recently and the young people are well aware of the things that are going on.

[mia]

2. The article reminded me of the 60's here when Government seemed to listen to citizen voices.

Your visit to China must have been fascinating.

[davidpdx]

3. Actually it was annoying

I've lived in South Korea for a long time and have adjusted to living here, but China was not the type of place that I was comfortable. Going for a visit is fine, but living there I wouldn't recommend.

[Suji to Seoul]

4. China is a weird place to live. I lived in both Korea and now in China. going back to Korea in

February. This place is definitely NOT for all.

[davidpdx]

9. Cool

We'll have to get together for a beer. I've never met anyone from DU.

[Left Coast2020]

7. I made it through almost 4 years of living there.

Yes, it is true. It can be uncomfortable at times--especially in Liaoning Province which is a 45 minute flight from Inchon airport. In Shenyang, its very cold in winter, dirty, and has a large uneducated population. I found Dalian to be much cleaner and more accessable-with more English speaking residents. At least more than SY. Would like to work in Seoul. Spent night there. Nice.

[mountain grammy]

5. This is why I've read DU for years

Stories like this are so educational and raise awareness of envronmental concerns even in the most "conformed" cultures. The "mainstream media" tells us nothing about what's happening all over the globe. The story from China is a ray of hope for this old lady.

[mia]

6. I too am often inspired when reading DU and this article is remarkable in light

of what happened in China in 1989. It's interesting to see what Democracy looks like there today.

The spring of 1989 saw the largest pro-democracy demonstration in the history of China's communist regime. The following timeline tracks how the protests began in April among university students in Beijing, spread across the nation, and ended on June 4 with a final deadly assault by an estimated force of 300,000 soldiers from People's Liberation Army (PLA). Throughout these weeks, China's top leaders were deeply divided over how to handle the unrest, with one faction advocating peaceful negotiation and another demanding a crackdown. Excerpts from their statements, drawn from The Tiananmen Papers, reveal these internal divisions.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tankman/cron/

[Left Coast2020]

8. I always wish more of the Chinese people could see this video.

At least we can hope.

[mia]

10. microbloggers continue to try to get the news out

A photograph posted on Sina Weibo, the main Chinese microblogging service, showed some of the items displayed outside the government building.





Qin said there were 50,000 demonstrators. A microblogger using the name Qidong Longhuisheng estimated the number at 100,000.

''There are people everywhere, on walls, cars, rooftops, in streets,'' another microblog user, writing under the name Jiaojiaotaotailang, said adding that ''the air is filled with the smell of alcohol, and there are sounds of breaking glass''.

Searches including ''Qidong'' were blocked on Saturday on Sina Weibo, which has more than 250 million users.


Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/world/protesters-take-to-the-streets-in-china-over-paper-factory-pollution-20120728-233qv.html#ixzz21xhaVO1M