Survived SARS: Bad Elements...3.1 million of them...

Speaking of China:

Here is a report that 3.1 million Chinese joined in protests or demonstrations last year. One of the largest demonstrations in Chinese history happened just this past month, and lasted for "more than a week." Given how much the Chinese Communist Party loves protests, that's pretty impressive stuff. Activism in the US is a sign of deeply held beliefs, but not particular moral courage, as there is no consequence -- even if you're arrested, they'll let you go unharmed straight away, and an arrest record can be shown as a badge of honor in many places. It's a bit different in China, where people disappear on a regular basis, suffer tortures to make Abu Ghraib look like a playground, and are frequently executed outright, with their family finding out they were imprisoned at all only when they get the bill for the bullet.

Conventional wisdom is that the economic boom that China has enjoyed for the last decade has been suppressing dissent. Simon's World has a piece on why the economic numbers this year are probably just regime propaganda. If there's an economic slowdown, it may help to explain the rise in demonstrations against the state.

On the other hand, tensions are high in China. The Nepalese Maoists, who believe that China is a counterrevolutionary government that will have to be fought, continue to enjoy tremendous success in Nepal. I suspect their eventual victory, and the establishment of a Maoist state in Nepal, unless we see increased Indian/Chinese/US efforts to block that. The Nepalese have made some inroads into Tibet, which could help to explain the Chinese crackdown there. A linkup between Tibetian nationalists and Nepalese Maoists must figure into some Chinese general's nightmares.

There have also been riots in China among the ethnic minorities, particularly the East Turkmen (called also the Uighur). There has been a clampdown on news stories about this, but somewhere between 20 and 150 were killed by a Chinese mob two weeks ago, in what would be called a "race riot" if it happened in the US. The entire village in which it happened has been under interdiction since then, with all the roads closed off by the PLA, and no news getting out.

Interesting times.