China Digital Times

China news tagged with: chengguan (23)

• Qian Gang: China’s Guerrilla Debate over “Illegal Organizations”

  

  Being deemed an “illegal organization” in China can result in a quick shuttering of a group by authorities. Gongmeng (Open Constitution Initiative), Xu Zhiyong’s legal defense organization is a case in point. Yet what if an “illegal organization” is run by the authorities themselves? The story can be quite different, as Qian Gang reports on China Media Project:

  Under strict censorship controls, the vast majority of Chinese journalists are suffocated with a silent fury over such trumped up allegations. But this week instead we’ve seen the opposite — media aggressively opening fire on a so-called “illegal organization.”

  On August 26, the Beijing News reported that Zhao Yang (赵阳), a member of the City Administrative Department of Nanjing’s Xuanwu District – this is the office that runs the local brigades of non-police ‘city inspectors’ charged with keeping public order in China’s urban neighborhoods – had been charged with organizing an online “national joint session of city administrative department heads.” Zhao had dared to hold an event without proper registration and in the name of a social group, so this amounted to the act of “illegal organization.”

  The reporter following up on the story came across this organization’s statutes. They discovered that the organization had a founding chairman, an honorary chairman, a rotating chairmanship, a managing director, a deputy director, an executive council and so on. It had set up an administrative headquarters, and even had a membership fee system in place. It had already held three national conferences, had issued awards and conferred titles. It had decided on national standards for city inspector identification. For all intents and purposes, it was the national guild for city inspectors in China.

  The report caused an uproar. For the authorities to see “illegal organizations” as thorns in their side, that was one thing. But it seemed like a great big joke for government officials like city administrative department heads to be participating in such organizations. The media followed up on the story and found that the organization behind these joint sessions was in fact a private company, which was scooping up all of the funds. A private company boss, in other words, had been toying with city administrative department heads across the country, offering public relations and crisis management services to address the poor public image of city inspectors.

  Read more about the “city inspectors,” or “chengguan” via CDT.

  » Read more
  • September 4, 2009 10:49 AM

• Street Peddler Beaten & Paralyzed By Shanghai Chengguan

  

  chinaSMACK translates a report and netizens’ comments about a watermelon vendor who ended up in the hospital after an altercation with urban management officials, or chengguan, in Shanghai:

  Due to 10 watermelons illegally stacked on the sidewalk, fruit vendor Peng Lin and chengguan [城管, city managers/city inspectors, responsible for enforcing city codes, regulations, and laws) had a violent confrontation. He was then dragged by chengguan onto a law enforcement car to be taken to the local police station. However, when the police questioned him, Peng Lin appeared dazed, even unable to sit steadily. Through medical examinations, Peng Lin was determined to have suffered brain damage, his right-hand side limbs partially paralyzed. The hospital immediately issued a critical condition notice.

  See a news report which shows footage of the fight via Sina.

  » Read more
  • July 29, 2009 6:46 PM

• Hui Minority Beats Lanzhou Chengguan Onto Knees Crying

  

  

  ChinaSMACK has captured a netizen’s response to vigilante justice against the abuse of “urban management” officials (chengguan 城管) in Lanzhou, a Hui Muslim dominated area:

  This weekend, due to the recent need to repair our house, along with my wife we went to the Xigu Porcelain Material Market, afterwards I decided with my wife to go to Xiaoxihu Shopping Center to buy some household goods. Because from Xigu to Xiaoxuhu station was still far from the shopping center, we decided to get off at Route 50 and walk to the shopping center, in front of the shopping center my wife wanted to eat some snacks like sweet bun and noodles, together we sat on the side of the street and began to eat, just as we took a few bites, the peddlers began to yell “the Chengguan are coming,” we then stood to finish our snack and pay the boss [peddler], the boss was just beginning to pack up his stand; as we gave him the money we saw the peddlers beside us were already shoving and pushing with the Chengguan. Consequently, because the number of Chengguan was fairly numerous, along with the police from the local police station showed up together. Perhaps they were emboldened by ample [numbers], the Chengguan violently enforced the law, pushed down every peddler’s stall they came upon, and fruits, snacks, and noodles were thrown across the street. Many in the crowd were angry at what they saw. Including me, many peddlers wouldn’t take it anymore. Suddenly, a couple of people went up and threw the Chengguan captain on the ground, the other Chengguan and police saw that there was too many people, and the crowds was also very angry, and they all fled far from the scene.

  People saw that the Chengguan captain was captured, everybody started to pick up the things on the ground and threw them at the Chengguan, fruits were thrown everywhere, trash was flying everywhere, scenes from a movie where corrupt official were pelted with rotten eggs before their execution unfolded in reality, people cursed while beating the Chengguan. 

  Comments from Tianya:

  愤怒的宙斯:

  Chengguan and peddlers will always be at odds; it is just that Chengguan have greater capacities. To tell you the truth I hate those unscrupulous peddlers, operating without permits, polluting the environment, place to attract a scene. Everything always have two sides, I maintain the middle ground!

  » Read more
  • June 11, 2009 1:36 AM

• Chengguan Arrives In Liberty City

  

  Known for their violent tactics in China, the chengguan (or city administrators) are getting international credit in the new version of Grand Theft Auto. From EastSouthNorthWest:

  Recently, the American online game “Grand Theft Auto 4″ began to offer a “Chinese chengguan” skin to users.  The main character Niko Bellic wears a uniform with the Chinese words chengguan (城管) on the back to become the rule of the streets.  He drove an armored car with the words “Administrative Law Enforcement” (行政执法) to clean out the street vendors in Central Park.

  Thus, the unwelcomed chengguan of China are now famous overseas.

  

  I am a municipal administrator in Liberty City. I have just completed my training in China. Today is my first day on the job!

   

  See also ChinaGeeks post for more pictures and translations.

  » Read more
  • June 8, 2009 12:21 PM

• Above the Law? China’s Bully Law-Enforcement Officers

  

  Time Magazine looks at recent cases of violence perpetuated by “urban management” (chengguan 城管）officers:

  In recent weeks chengguan officers have been accused of many violations. In the city of Nanjing, officers reportedly scuffled with university students who were hawking goods on a street, sparking a protest by hundreds of their classmates from the Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics. The demonstration was held just days before the sensitive 20th anniversary of the crackdown on student-led protests in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square. Local residents say they beat to death a farmer in southeastern Jiangxi province who was trying to stop a land-reclamation project. His killing sparked a riot, with angry residents overturning chengguan cars on a local highway. In the southern city of Changsha, city management officers allegedly beat a Chinese reporter who was visiting from Beijing to cover a demolition and relocation project. And in the central city of Xian, chengguan who were shutting down a breakfast stall kicked a wok and burned a vendor with scalding oil. In late April a law enforcement officer posted on the Internet parts of a chengguan manual that instructed officers in how to beat suspects without leaving marks, sparking harsh criticism from bloggers and the domestic press. The word “chengguan” has even taken on an alternate meaning in Chinese. “Don’t be too chengguan” means to not bully or terrorize. In other words, chengguan has literally become synonymous with violence.

  » Read more
  • May 22, 2009 9:44 PM

• A Practical Handbook for Beating Street Vendors

  

  Danwei translates an article from Southern Metropolis Daily about a textbook for “urban management” (chengguan 城管) officials that has been revealed online, generating heated discussion among netizens:

  The book, a “training textbook” for the City Administration Bureau, was published by the National School of Administration Press.

  The book is a practical manual to guide chengguan in enforcing the law. The images posted online showed a portion of the fourth chapter. The section titled “Handling limits in the process of city administration law enforcement” explains in detail how chengguan are to prevent violence when they are about to encounter violence: without letting go of the subject, several chengguan shall act together and in a single move take the individual under bodily control. Each action must be effective so as not to give the subject any pause for breath.
  JDM090422book2s.jpg
  Some surprising instructions

  What most astonished netizens was section’s explanation of “specific actions to counter violent resistance to the law”: In dealing with the subject, take care to leave no blood on the face, no wounds on the body, and no people in the vicinity….

  Read more about “chengguan” via CDT.

  » Read more
  • April 22, 2009 12:07 PM

• City Managers Along the River During Qing Ming Festival

  

  A tweaked version of the painting “Along the River During Qing Ming Festival” has become the latest hot Internet hit. From Longhu Net, via Duowei:

  “Along the River During Qing Ming Festival” is one of China’s ten most widely known paintings. Created by the Northern Song artist Zhang Zeduan, “Along the River” vividly portrays 12th century life in China. In subsequent generations, many artists would try to imitate Zhang’s painting by making copied versions.

  Recently, E Gao’s piece, “City Managers Came Along the River During Qing Ming Festival,” has become a viral Internet hit. In the popular image, the netizen removed all the people from the street, leaving only the architecture and scenery, indicating that city managers (chengguan 城管) had arrived.

  《清明上河图》是中国的十大传世名画之一，由北宋画家张择端所作，它生动地记录了中国12世纪的城市生活面貌，后世不少画家纷纷仿照张择端的《清明上河图》作山寨版的《清明上河图》。

  近日，网络上热传着一张由网友恶搞的《清明上河图之城管来了》。热传图中，网友把街上全部人物PS(处理)掉只留下建筑景物，网友把这一景况称为城管来了。

  

  

  ChinaSMACK has also translated many BBS users’ reactions to the piece. The following are a select few:

  sssp:

  City managers and forced evictions have created the two worst aspects of this harmonious society!

  温暖秋月:

  Pretty creative, and if you think about it, it is true. If there were city managers at that time, how would “Along the River During Qingming Festival” have been painted?

  中华才子:

  
  Caption: 城管出马；无人能敌. The city managers have gone into action; no one is a match for them.]

  For an interactive version of the original “Along the River During Qing Ming Festival,” see this CDT post.

  » Read more
  • April 14, 2009 2:02 AM

• Outrageous Siyang City Management Officials

  

  chinaSMACK translated a post giving a firsthand account of violence by Siyang City’s urban management (城管) officials:

  On October 31st, at 4pm in the afternoon, a group of “city management” arrived at the scene, and began indiscriminately pulling all the carts [of the stalls] onto their own trucks. On the scene, those who fled, fled. Those who chased, chased. Those who looked on, looked on. It was a scene of chaos. At this time, a woman holding her baby carelessly said, “Enforcing the law like this, and you still tell everyone you enforce the law in a civilised manner?” Who knew this one sentence of truth would actually provoke the countless “city management” officials’ fists and kicks towards her? There were two “city management” members, who utterly ignored the baby in the middle-aged woman’s arms, and aimed their fists at her who was unarmed. That middle-aged woman instinctively risked her life to protect the baby with her hands. She probably did not imagine she would be subjected to the “city management’s” multiple fists without violating any of the “city management’s” rules. And she, being a full-blooded child of North Jiangsu, facing numerous “city management”, unexpectedly and fearlessly did everything she could to defend herself, and she even fought back when there was the opportunity. However, with a baby in her arms, hopelessly outnumbered, she gradually retreated. At this moment, she shouted loudly, “Are you all lawless?” One of the city managers yelled, “I am the law! I can handle things however I want!” So much arroganc and complete disregard of the establishment of rule of law and harmonious society2. Bystanders said in unison: City management are a pack of mad dogs.

  » Read more
  • November 12, 2008 10:50 PM

• Clashes With the Chengguan in Two Cities

  

  Following public outrage over the beating death of a bystander in Tianmen by “urban management” (chengguan) officials, more stories of abuse by the forces are coming out. RFA Unplugged covers a recent incident reported in the domestic Chinese media:

  According to China’s Nanguo Zaobao newspaper, on the afternoon of Feb. 23, urban management officers, also known as the chengguan, from the Liangqing District confiscated the vegetables belonging to a peddler. The thing happened at the Qianjin Road in the Dashatian area. The middle-aged peddler then picked up a brick to hit the officers’ car. The officers jumped out of the car, trying to pull the peddler into their car. In the process, a witness said, four or five urban management officers beat up the peddler with sugar cane, or kicked him. Angry bystanders encircled the two cars of the officers, blocking their exit.

  About 5:30 p.m., at the intersection between Qianjin Road and Bailing Road, there were about several hundreds of watchers with two police cars at the scene. Many police were trying to disperse the crowd but the mob got more and more emotional. The confrontation lasted until 7 p.m. and people gradually left the scene.

  

  [Cartoon via China Daily]

  » Read more
  • February 26, 2008 11:35 PM

• Beating Death Prompts Rare Statement Condemning Abuses in China Municipal Security Force – AP

  

  The death of Wei Wenhua, and subsequent public outrage, has inspired heads of the “urban management forces” (城管) to speak out:

  Heads of China’s nationwide urban inspection force have openly criticized their officers for beating to death a bystander man who filmed a protest, in a rare admission of abuse of power.

  Over 100 local leaders of the force, known as the «chengguan» in Chinese, issued a joint letter saying the killing in the central city of Tianmen, apparently by chengguan members, had sparked «deep concern and reflection.

  «Hawks» in their midst regularly «spoke roughly and acted boorishly,» wore helmets and body armor, and carried handcuffs and other specialized equipment, the statement said. [Full text]
  
  

  Numerous photos, videos and witness reports on excessive violence used by “chengguan” forces have appeared on the Chinese Internet. A blogger even made a t-shirt on this theme:

  » Read more
  • January 21, 2008 9:42 AM

• Bloggers Push China to Prosecute Beating Death – David Barboza

  

  The New York Times and The Times weigh in on the beating death of Wei Wenhua by “urban management” (城管）officials in Tianmen City, and the response from the blogosphere. From the New York Times:

  City officials in Tianmen in Hubei Province in central China are being punished and investigated for their role in the killing of the man, Wei Wenhua, the general manager of a construction company, and the beatings of five villagers during a dispute on Jan. 7, the state-run news agency Xinhua reported.

  The episode is the latest in which bloggers and others have used the Internet to force Chinese authorities to investigate beatings and other abuses by government officials.

  With China’s economy booming and developers transforming big cities and even small villages with huge building projects, clashes between angry residents and public officials have increased, partly because China’s legal system is so ineffective and government corruption is perceived to be widespread. [Full text]
  
  

  
  
  See also Xinhua’s report on the arrest of the Tianmen city chief of the “urban management” forces over this incident.

  » Read more
  • January 18, 2008 10:41 AM

• Killing of Wei Wenhua and the Evils of the Urban Management System – David Bandurski

  

  In light of the murder of citizen Wei Wenhua, who was killed by “urban management” (城管）officials in Tianmen City, Hubei Province while filming their dispute with villagers, observers are asking who exactly are the “chengguan.” On China Media Project, David Bandurski says Wei could be considered “China’s first ‘citizen reporter’ to be killed while attempting to document a breaking news event” and writes:

  “Five minutes of darkness,” in the words of columnist Xiong Peiyun (熊陪云). That was all it took for the “urban management officers” (城管) of Hubei’s Tianmen City (天门市) to tragically end the life of Wei Wenhua (魏文华), the general manager of a local architectural engineering firm who dared to step out of his car and document a violent attempt to bring local villagers to heel.

  …The Wei Wenhua Affair, vaguely reminiscent of the Sun Zhigang story back in 2003, could become one of the most important China stories of 2008. Some media and Web users are already calling for the disbanding of the urban management system.

  “Five minutes of darkness, and who will be next?” Beijing scholar Xiong Peiyun wrote in today’s Southern Metropolis Daily and The Beijing News. “Perhaps no one wishes to face this question. Wei Wenhua’s death stands as clear proof of the violent ways of local urban management officers. It’s 2008 and another citizen goes down. When will we stand up and restrain the law enforcement violence of this urban management system?” [Full text]

  Over the past thirty-five hours, there have been 154733 comments on this event on QQ. One, from a netizen from Yingtan, Jiangxi Province, says:

  Zhou Zhenglong took a photo of tiger, alive!
  
  Wen Wenhua took a photo of Chengguan, dead!
  
  Chengguan is more dangerous than tigers. 城管猛如虎。[Original Chinese text]

  See also “Citizen reporter killed — by who?” from Global Voices.

  » Read more
  • January 11, 2008 3:32 PM

• Police Detain 24 after Man Beaten to Death – Yang Jian

  

  From Shanghai Daily:

  Police have detained 24 people who allegedly beat a man to death after he filmed their clash with villagers in Tianmen City of Hubei Province on Monday, a Chinese newspaper reported today.

  Wei Wenhua, the victim, was beaten to death within 10 minutes by dozens of people “wearing urban management officers’ uniforms, hamlets and protective jackets” as he used his cell phone to videotape a fight between these officers and villagers, farmers and Wei’s colleagues told the newspaper….[Full Text]

  In light of this incident and others like it, Radio Free Asia’s RFA Unplugged blog takes a closer look at the chengguan, or urban management forces.

  » Read more
  • January 9, 2008 9:09 AM

• About “Most Chinese People Have Smiles on Their Faces” – Xu Xing (徐星)

  

  Born in 1956, Xu Xing (徐星) is a Beijing-based writer and also an occasional blogger. Xu’s latest book “Et tout le reste est pour toi” “And everything else is for you” was published by L’Olivier in France in 2005. “Refreshing,” “sarcastic,” “humorous,” and “existentialist” are some ways his readers describe his work.

  The following excerpt is from his blog, Xintianyou – Life In Blogcn, in response to a reader’s comment that said, “Most Chinese people have smiles on their faces”:

  Many first-time travelers to China are very surprised: the country is not as poor as they thought, and people have smiles on their faces. Those foreigners conclude that Chinese people have contented and wonderful lives. But those who only come to China one or two times cannot understand, this is indicative of Chinese people’s attitude towards life and their tenacious strength for survival. I could not imagine that an unemployed worker in the West who cannot feed his family could go to a park every morning with his bird cages, or that a laid-off female worker would go into the streets to dance each night. According to my limited understanding of Westerners, their psychological or physical ability to tolerate [life's miseries] is way way below that of the Chinese.

  » Read more
  • January 2, 2008 9:09 PM

• Armored Illegal Dog Crackdown Team in Zhengzhou

  

  Don’t panic, this is not a Chinese version of “Hellboy”. It is an armored illegal dog crackdown team in Zhengzhou city. Summarized and translated by CDT. Photos and story from East Today Daily:

  

  East Today Daily reported today that last Saturday scores of vehicles and members of the Urban Management Team were in battle array and marching in line at the Green City Plaza at Zhengzhou. This was the largest law enforcement action in Zhengzhou City. The aim was to remove illegal dogs. Since October 1st, the “Zhengzhou City Dog Raising Management Ordinance” has been formally implemented. After that, Zhengzhou City Dog Raising Management Office announced that dog licenses would be issued until the end of October. Then the Urban Management Team would investigate and punish the illegal dogs. So far, over 10,000 dogs in Zhengzhou have been formally licensed.

  » Read more
  • October 29, 2007 8:26 PM

CDT BOOKSHELF

China Digital Times is run by the Berkeley China Internet Project | Copyright © China Digital Times | Powered by WordPress.