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Activism and Awareness
Hey, dissenters, China’s got its eyes on you
Do you want the good news or the bad news first?
The good news is that the Chinese government finally answered the demands of thousands of protestors in the coastal city Xiamen, located in Fujian province, by halting the construction of a 700 million pound chemicals plant. According to a translation on ESWN, the Haicang PX Project (PX stands for xylene, which is a raw material used in chemical production) would be “the biggest in the world for PX and other derivative products, and the minimum contribution towards Xiamen’s GDP is 80 billion yuan, which is equal to 1/4 of the present GDP of Xiamen.”
The YouTube video below shows people wielding signs and shouting, “Protect Xiamen, Serve the People.”
Xiamen China protest
The bad news is that online users are now legally required to use their real names when posting messages on more than 100,000 websites registered in Xiamen, according to the China National News.
Reuters reports the following:
The Chinese government, obsessed with stability, has said Internet censorship is necessary to allow users to enjoy a “healthy” online environment and help build a “harmonious” society.
Why does this have to come at the cost of “healthy” environmental advocacy and activism? The protests, though serious, were not violent. And the people showed a real concern for their city and their community. I think the Chinese government automatically assumes that people who dissent against “growth” (i.e. the construction of the PX factory) are stifling the Chinese economy, thus hurting society. However, I’m sure Chinese people do want growth and development, but not if it brings increased pollution and other environmental hazards.
That’s the bottom line: China must manage its growth with a repsonsible level of eco-consciousness, or else its growth will not be sustainable.
Related stories:
Danwei’s collection of multimedia content related to the day of the Xiamen demonstrations:
Xiamen demonstration today - live reporting on blogs and video sites
Global Voices Online coverage of the online protests:
China: Liveblogging from ground zero
Background on the protest:
via ESWN, translated from Southern Weekend.
“The Xiamen PX Project“
China Digital Times
The Biggest Chemical Project Puts Xiamen in Danger
The Washington Post
“Text Messages Giving Voice to Chinese: Opponents of Chemical Factory Found Way Around Censors”
Tags: Activism and Awareness, chemical, China, factory, pollution, protest, responsiblechina, xiamen
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