Bombs show that China unrest is on the increase

To ensure that the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and the National People's Congress would proceed smoothly, China long ago strengthened security measures near Beijing, even going so far as to drive away relatives of labor activists from northeast China who had come to the capital in search of legal assistance. Nevertheless, in late February, explosions injured a number of people at the Lotus Cafeteria of Tsinghua University and the Garden Cafeteria of Peking University, and last week the Beijing bureau of Reuters news agency was broken into by a man carrying what he said was a bomb. In the latter case, a number of hostages were held for several hours.

In comparison with the explosion at Fanglin village primary school in Wanzai county, Jiangxi province, it must be said that the government's crisis management techniques have improved.

After the March 2001 explosion at the Fanglin village primary school, Premier Zhu Rongji (朱鎔基) publicly stated that this act was perpetrated by a mentally ill man. At the same time he denied claims that the students of the school were making fireworks. The Xinhua news agency also reported that the incident was a typical crime involving a mentally ill suspect who had burst into a classroom while students were in class, placed two bags of explosives used to make fireworks in the classroom, and ignited them.

The methods and statements of Chinese officials drew severe criticism from local residents, Chinese Internet users and the foreign media. They accused the Chinese Communist Party of concealing the facts, fabricating evidence and glossing over the matter to evade responsibility.

In order to placate the public's anger and save the government's image, Zhu was forced to reinvestigate the incident and apologize for it at a press conference. Finally, the provincial governor of Jiangxi, Shu Shengyou (舒聖佑), was forced to step down over the matter.

Today, Beijing's methods of handling such crises have obviously changed. After the explosions at Peking University and Tsinghua University, school authorities immediately stepped forward to explain what had happened and report on casualties. China's official media reported the news. After the recent "bomb" incident at the Beijing bureau of Reuters news agency, the Chinese media also rapidly reported on what had happened.

Although a few questions remain about both of these incidents -- such as did Huang Minxiang (黃旻翔), the suspect in the university bombings, really act merely out of a desire "gain fame?" and is Fang Qinghui (方慶輝), the suspect in the Reuters case, really mentally ill? -- the contents of Chinese media reports are largely the same as reports in the foreign media.

The underprivileged class backgrounds of the two suspects highlight serious social problems in China. China's official media pointed out that Huang's parents had both been laid off and with obligations to provide for their children's education, the family's financial circumstances were not good. Fang Qinghui, who comes from Heilongjiang Province, has been unemployed for several years.

Hu Jintao (胡錦濤), has emphasized the need to look after underprivileged groups, especially farmers and laid-off workers. At the National People's Congress, Hu is now officially president. Unfortunately, if he is unable to solve these social problems as soon as possible and establish "across-the-board" prosperity, I'm afraid similar incidents could happen again at any time.

Kou Chien-wen is an assistant research fellow in the Institute of International Relations at National Chengchi University.

Translated by Ethan Harkness