By Maureen Fan
Washington Post Foreign Service
Thursday, November 20, 2008

BEIJING, Nov. 19 -- Civil unrest stemming from economic concerns flared in southwestern China on Wednesday as several hundred taxi drivers in Chongqing went on strike over a government plan to put more cabs on their district's roads. The protest took place two days after rioting erupted in the impoverished northwestern province of Gansu over declining incomes and property values.

"There is so much competition from unlicensed taxis," said Yang Zhihua, a cabdriver in Chongqing, in Sichuan province. "We call on the government to punish them severely and leave us more space for business," he added.

On Monday, about 2,000 people rioted in Gansu's Wudu district over plans to move the Longnan city government offices, which had been damaged in the May 12 Sichuan earthquake, to a nearby county. Fearing the move would reduce property values and threaten their livelihoods, Wudu residents protested again Tuesday, clashing violently with police and looting government offices, the Gansu Daily reported.

In both provinces, officials attributed the unrest to local disagreements or land disputes rather than to the economic slowdown. But leaders have also expressed concern about factory closings, promising to compensate many of those who have lost their jobs in the downturn.

Wang Jinli, a 50-year-old Wudu farmer, said she saw police beat residents in front of the Longnan party secretary's offices Monday and Tuesday, then watched as ambulances took the injured away. "They used their sticks to beat passersby no matter whether they were young or old," Wang said, adding that more than 100 people had been arrested.

"Although I don't have money, the economic recession is related to everyone," she said. "Right now, people can make a living even by picking up garbage, but if they move the city government, where will we find garbage? We eat rice and flour now, but if the center moves away, we will all be eating corn. It will move the economy back 20 years."

On Wednesday, the official New China News Agency described the Wudu riots as a land dispute, saying that 30 people had come to the party offices to negotiate. When no resolution was reached, more people gathered, eventually attacking the office building and injuring police officers.

Provincial officials arrived by noon Tuesday and restored calm, the news agency reported.

Researchers Zhang Jie and Liu Songjie contributed to this report.