The turmoil following the dismissal of Shanghai’s former boss, Chen Liangyu, is far from over, and finally we hear some voices from the masses. They are demanding their pensions, which were embezzled by the greedy officials and businessmen, including Chen himself. Read a story by Geoff Dyer from Financial Times, “Shanghai’s disgruntled want pensions Mao cost them”:
Shanghai, like most Chinese cities, has a small core of disgruntled citizens who regularly congregate outside public buildings in the hope of getting officials to hear their complaints. Many are unemployed or retired and feel they have little to lose by challenging authority.
Over the past few weeks, however, their sense of injustice has risen as details have dripped out about a scandal at the Shanghai government pension fund, which on Monday led to the dismissal of the unloved party secretary, Chen Liangyu.
Police have already detained 17 people who were protesting outside a hotel where more than 100 anti-corruption investigators from Beijing are based, according to Human Rights in China.[Full Text]
Also read CDT’s series coverage on the Shanghai pension fund scandal and the political shock.
Shanghai Boss Downed Amid Pension Funds Crackdown
The After Shocks of the Shanghai Political Earthquake (part 1): Further turmoil grips Shanghai
The Aftershocks of the Shanghai Political Earthquake (part 2): More Officials Brought Down
