Wave of violent incidents in China due to economic pressure

 Sunday 24 November 2024

ISLAMABAD (News International / Pakistan New - 24th Nov, 2024 ) Experts say the country has witnessed several heartbreaking incidents, including the deadliest in a decade, raising questions about Beijing’s reputation for maintaining law and order.

A 62-year-old man drove a car into a crowd at a sports complex in the southern Chinese city of Zhuhai on Monday, killing 35 people and injuring 43.

According to an official report, the attacker was unhappy with his divorce decision, which prompted him to take this heartbreaking step.

The incident comes as China is trying to restore economic stability. According to experts, the economic challenges following the Covid restrictions have sparked public unrest, the results of which are being reflected in such violent incidents.

"The recent violent attacks in China reflect the country's deteriorating social and economic situation," says Hanzhong Liu, a professor of political science at Pitzer College in the US.

China's economic problems are getting worse over time. People are frustrated by falling investment, unemployment, expensive housing and rising child care costs.

Earlier this year, a man stabbed 21 people in the eastern province of Shandong. Similarly, in July, a man drove his car into people in Changsha, killing eight people. All of these incidents reflect the unrest spreading in society.

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After the recent incident in Zhuhai, Chinese President Xi Jinping asked authorities to take steps to prevent "such extremist incidents."

China's Foreign Ministry has ranked the country as one of the "safest" countries in the world. According to government figures, China's homicide rate last year was 0.46 per 100,000, far lower than the 5.7 in the United States.

However, public monuments commemorating the Zhuhai incident have been removed and discussion of the incident on social media has been banned, leading many to criticize government censorship.

"Securing is the first response for the Chinese government," says Steve Song, director of the SOAS China Institute in London. According to Hanzhong Liu of Pitzer College, this worsening situation is becoming a complex problem for Beijing.

Beijing has traditionally tightened its security and surveillance systems when social problems escalate, but experts say the current financial constraints will make this strategy difficult to implement.