The number of protests by working people, sometimes involving violent confrontations with the police, has increased in China over the last decade. They are fueled by the widening social inequalities resulting from government policies that allow a broader rein for capitalist market methods in the economy as a means to accelerate industrialization.

A fisherman, who gave his surname as Chen and was among the demonstrators, said busloads of troops and police were called into Dongzhou when about 2,000 residents gathered to complain about inadequate compensation for the land seizure, the Bloomberg news agency reported. Villagers reported 10-20 people killed by security forces and dozens missing.

On December 10 local officials issued a statement blaming residents for the conflict. It claimed that hundreds of armed villagers used explosives to attack the power plant and knives, steel spears, and sticks to fight police, according to an Associated Press dispatch.

But the following day, provincial officials in Guangdong province announced the arrest of the commander of the police unit that fired on residents. Provincial authorities blamed the deaths on the “wrong actions” of the police commander. The announcement promised to resolve grievances over the land seizures and said medical specialists had been sent to treat the wounded.

Banners hung by villagers protesting the land seizures have been replaced with government-sponsored banners appealing to residents to obey the law and trust the government. Police drove trucks through the streets promising over loudspeakers, “This matter will be handled well.”

The protest was the culmination of months of tension over the construction of a coal-fired power plant. Residents said they had not been sufficiently compensated for loss of their lands. Local fishermen said pollution from the plant threatened their livelihood.

Protests by farmers are on the rise as they are forced off land to make way for factories and office complexes. Farmers say they are paid too little and accuse corrupt officials of pocketing compensation payments. Last year China’s legislature received 5,407 formal complaints involving land seizures.

China’s top police official said that in 2004 there were 74,000 major protests involving 3.7 million people. That’s up from 58,000 protests in 2003 and 10,000 in 1994. In August, Beijing announced plans to establish special police units in 36 cities to deal with such unrest.  
 
 
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