Protests on rise in China amid sluggish economy, housing crisis: Report

Country records 18% rise in dissent cases in 2nd quarter of this year

China amid a slowdown in economic growth and the ongoing housing crisis, Bloomberg reported. According to recent data from the China Dissent Monitor, a project by the US-based advocacy group Freedom House, dissent cases in China increased 18 per cent in the second quarter compared to the same period last year.

The majority of these cases have resulted from labour-related issues and homeowner dissatisfaction. 

Further, most cases of dissent were a result of forced relocation and unfair land acquisition (70 per cent). The report found that over 2,800 protests in the country were linked to the struggling property sector.

The increase in dissent cases in China reflects the broader economic challenges the country’s ruling government faces. Citizens

 

are dealing with a slowdown in economic growth and overall confidence has waned as four decades of rising living standards

show signs of stalling.

The major contributing factors to this turmoil include a real estate crisis, ongoing trade tensions with the United States, crackdowns on the private sector, and costly pandemic-related lockdowns. 

The data covers more than 370 provincial-level cities. It shows property crisis remains a significant driver of unrest, with protests

related to real estate rising by 10 per cent over the past year.