China races to squelch unrest as signs of economic malaise spread

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Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Faced with rising social frustrations and public unrest, China’s leaders are ramping up security measures and squelching discordant views on the country’s economic health.

A spate of deadly attacks in China in recent weeks—including mass stabbings and car-ramming incidents—has unnerved officials and ordinary people alike, raising concerns that stagnating growth has played a role in fueling unrest and even outbursts of violence, amid an increase in public protests over economic grievances. In response, the Communist Party’s security czar last month ordered nationwide efforts to “resolve conflicts at the grassroots and nip them in the bud." China’s top prosecutor urged officials to better protect the rights of low-income workers, job-seeking graduates and vulnerable groups such as the elderly as a way to “strictly prevent extreme cases from happening." Officials have fanned out to screen for people who have suffered financial or emotional setbacks and assess their risks of disrupting public order.

Authorities also deployed paramilitary troops to help guard some schools in Beijing and elsewhere, after some recent attacks appeared to target students. Internet censors, meanwhile, have scrubbed viral commentaries about weaknesses in the world’s second-largest economy.

At its latest meeting this month, the party’s elite Politburo implicitly acknowledged the connection between economic difficulties and social unrest, ordering officials to “protect people’s livelihoods" with the goal of “ensuring the overall stability of society." Xi’s challenges are formidable. Millions of young Chinese struggle to find jobs.