Guangdong's Catastrophic Flood, Highways Turn River; 500 Daily Protests, Villagers ‘Seize’ Committee

Guangdong faces worst rainstorm in 50 years. Highways turn into rivers. White paper revolution reappears. About 500 daily protests in China. Villagers seize village committee. Force consumption arrives. 1.3 billion people can't afford accounts. Abolishing the fifth military service. A covert purge within the Chinese military. It's all covered in today's China truths. Guangdong faces worst rainstorm in 50 years. Highways turn into rivers. Southern China, especially Guangdong province, has been hit by intense convective storms and torrential rains in recent days, causing significant damage across the region. Currently, 70 rainstorm alerts and 65 thunderstorm and high wind alerts are active in the province. Due to an east-moving squall line, gusts of around force 10 were recorded upstream from Guangzhou, along with intense thunderstorms and localized hail. Shenzhen and other nearby areas are also on high alert for torrential rains. From the evening of April 19 to the morning of April 20, Chengyuan city in Guangdong was hit by an unprecedented downpour, with some regions experiencing extreme rainfall. Flash floods roared onto highways like predators, submerging numerous roads and even entering high-speed train carriages. Vehicles were washed away beneath bridges, and a suspension bridge was destroyed by the flood. Online videos show terrifying scenes of dark skies in Guangzhou, reminiscent of the apocalypse, and overwhelming floods that shock the viewer. A video shows how the intense wind is sweeping people and objects away, with some individuals trapped in the floodwaters and awaiting rescue. The scenes were shocking. The Guangdong Provincial Hydrology Bureau reported on April 20 that the Beijiang River Basin is experiencing rising water levels, reaching a peak flow of 18,000 cubic meters per second by the afternoon of April 21, a rare event that occurs once in 50 years. Reuters reported that in Guangzhou, a city of 18 million, officials declared on Sunday that the reservoirs had reached their maximum flood discharge capacity. According to reports from mainland media, nearly 20,000 people have been evacuated in Chengyuan, while damage to electrical infrastructure in Xiaoqing has caused power outages in various places. Chengyuan authorities have also suspended classes at kindergartens, elementary and middle schools. In Wenyuan County, Shaoguan, water levels rose sharply in the low-lying areas of Nanmenbing, inundating farmland and homes, and forcing at least 2,111 residents to evacuate. Comments online suggest that mainland China is facing another round of calamities, reminiscent of last year when Typhoon Daxiri's residual moisture caused extensive flooding in the north. During this time, staged rescue efforts were broadcast by CCTV, with rescuers in immaculate, bright clothing performing for the cameras in various contrived scenes. These included actions such as stepping on sandbags, transporting people with tractors, and wading through water with elderly women and children, a portrayal of dedication and diligence. As the narrative of Guangdong's severe flooding unfolds, television viewers may see familiar scenes, President Xi Jinping calling for action, timely and active responses from the CCP Central Committee and local governments, flawless rescues by armed police, and public declarations of victory over the flood. However, the true extent of the disaster, the number of people affected, and details of compensation and resettlement remain undisclosed. White Paper Revolution Reappears About 500 daily protests in China, villagers seize village committee. Chinese society is currently in extreme chaos with frequent protests erupting throughout the country. Lately, various regions across China, including Hunan, Guangdong, Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Shandong, and Sichuan have seen a surge in rights protection protests. These protests address issues like unpaid wages, fraud, uncompensated relocations, forced demolitions, abandoned construction projects, and student rights. Notably, on April 20, residents of Hongdong Village in Chaoyang District, Shantou, Guangdong Province, occupied the village committee office in protest against the forceful seizure of their land. Videos circulating online depict villagers standing in the committee's hallways, sitting in offices, and spilling in and out of the meeting room, with large crowds gathered outside the building as well. Records indicate that their protests began in February this year. Footage from March 13 shows the villagers persisting with their sit-in at the village committee. By March 25, the protests had intensified, leading the villagers to encircle the committee's main office. According to recent reports, from April 15 to 17, China witnessed at least 31 collective resistance incidents across 13 provinces and 17 cities, including notable areas such as Hunan's Shangqiu, Shenzhen and Guangdong, Beijing, Shanghai, and Chongqing. Rights protection actions are a daily occurrence in China. A report by China Central Radio in February highlighted that the frequency of these group resistance events has escalated dramatically over the years, now reaching several hundred thousand annually, with an average of about 500 protests each day. Recently, there have also been incidents involving the detention of individuals who intercept petitions and their subsequent assault by online mobs. It is believed that large-scale protests like the Blank Paper Movement could erupt again at any moment. Voice of America columnist Deng Yun commented on the situation, comparing it to the late Cultural Revolution or the period following the Tiananmen Square incident. He observed a profound public discontent with the government, a deep-seated frustration with the current state of affairs, and a desire for change paired with a feeling of powerlessness. Deng stated that China seems to be on the brink of significant transformation, where despair coexists with hope and dissatisfaction could potentially lead to resistance. He warned that if this public sentiment continues and exceeds what people can tolerate, it might trigger a systemic social crisis, resulting in widespread unrest and unintended changes. Deng Yun also stated, regardless of whether social change will come or how it will come, one thing is certain, the era of people being submissive tools is gone forever. Forced consumption arrives. 1.3 billion people can't afford accounts. A recent Study Times article by a China National Household Electrical Appliances Association representative claimed that household appliances have a finite lifespan and must be replaced for safety, aligning with Xi Jinping's economic strategy to boost growth by encouraging the replacement of old items. This is part of broader efforts across China to implement new standards and measures that compel increased consumer spending, raising concerns about the actual benefits to the economy and the government's coercive tactics. Ms. Guijun, editor-in-chief of the Epoch Times, explained in the Elite Forum that although the Appliance Association is not a government entity, its publication in the Study Times, a mouthpiece for Xi Jinping and the CCP, emphasizes its significant influence. She noted that the push to rejuvenate the economy through replacement policies originated from Xi and was emphasized again before this year's two sessions. This initiative is split into two key areas, institutional and public. Institutions like enterprises, hospitals and schools are mandated to update their equipment while the public is encouraged to renew everything from household appliances to cars with new regulatory standards making non-compliance illegal. This policy, first implemented in Guangdong, China's richest province, mandates upgrades in standards for a wide array of consumer products, from cars to drones, aiming to enhance consumption levels. The regional government also has plans to standardize the smart appliance industry over the next three years. Ms. Guijun critiqued the inconsistency of Xi's policies, highlighting a shift from promoting frugality to encouraging wasteful practices, which she finds absurdly contradictory to previous stances. Chinese equipment not durable, forced replacement worsens people's burden. Also on the elite forum, Shanghai entrepreneur Hu Liren, now residing in the US, criticized the durability of household appliances in China. According to Hu, Chinese appliance standards significantly differ from international norms, leading to products that require premature replacement. For example, while a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries evaporator could last for 30 years with minimal maintenance, Chinese equivalents often suffer from efficiency losses in just 10 years due to issues such as oxidation. This quality disparity across various appliance categories forces Chinese consumers to replace items like refrigerators and televisions every 8 to 10 years, whereas similar products in developed countries can last up to 20 years. Hu Liren pointed out that China transitioned from a planned economy to a market economy in the 1980s, but now it seems to be reverting back to a planned system. For instance, air conditioners in China carry energy efficiency ratings, and if an appliance's efficiency is too low, the government mandates its replacement, turning market consumption into an administrative decision. The Chinese Communist Party is facing a dilemma as many businesses, including foreign-funded enterprises, are going bankrupt. State-owned brand-name companies that once relied heavily on exports are now struggling due to political shifts. To boost domestic demand, the CCP is resorting to involution, but this is challenging when the average citizen lacks the means to participate. The only option left is to use administrative measures to stimulate consumption. Mr. Shershan, a senior editor and columnist at the Epoch Times, discussed this issue on the Elite Forum, noting that the CCP's authoritarian system was established during a crisis and is designed for wartime. While this system excels at social mobilization and managing shortages, it lacks the ability to handle surpluses. The CCP's approach to managing excess is to force people to buy, even if they don't want to, which is a bizarre solution. Chinese citizens' pockets have long been empty. Addressing income inequality is key. According to senior editor Shershan, the Chinese Communist Party's authoritarian system was established during a crisis and is designed for wartime. While this system excels at social mobilization and managing shortages, it lacks the ability to handle surpluses. The CCP's approach to managing excess is to force people to buy, even if they don't want to, which is a bizarre solution. Ms. Guijun shared that as of February 2021, Chinese citizens had 140 trillion yuan, about 19.3 trillion U.S. dollars, in savings, which exceeds the country's annual GDP. The CCP believes that if even a portion of this is spent on consumption, it will significantly boost the economy. Some Chinese experts have questioned why people aren't spending and what the point of saving is. However, a closer look at the distribution of these savings reveals a more complex picture. Data released by China Merchants Bank a few years ago divided personal accounts into three tiers, private banking customers, who have assets exceeding 10 million yuan, around 1.4 million U.S. dollars, gold sunflower customers, assets exceeding 500,000 yuan, around 69,100 U.S. dollars, and retail customers, everyone else. The top 1.88% of customers hold 81% of the wealth, while the bottom 98.12% hold just 19%, with an average of only 25,000 yuan, about 3,453 U.S. dollars, per person. Extrapolating this data to the entire country, Miskwa estimates that 2% of the population holds 80% of the wealth, while 98% holds the remaining 20%. Breaking down the 140 trillion yuan, or 19.3 trillion U.S. dollars, in deposits further, based on the CCP's claimed population of 1.4 billion, 28 million people, 2% hold 112 trillion yuan, average of 4 million per person, while 1.37 billion people hold 28 trillion yuan, average of 21,500 yuan per person. The truly wealthy 28 million are not focused on consumption upgrades, as they have already achieved that status. Instead, they prioritize investment and the safety and growth of their assets. Meanwhile, the average person, with just over 20,000 yuan, about 2,762 U.S. dollars, in savings, simply cannot afford to upgrade their consumption. The CCP is essentially forcing the poor to increase their debt by pushing them to consume more. To genuinely address the consumption upgrade problem, the CCP must first tackle the issue of wealth inequality, rather than simply raising the debt levels of the poor. However, this task is virtually impossible, as China's wealthiest individuals are the very ones who determine how wealth is distributed. Asking them to reduce their own income and interests for the benefit of others goes against human nature. This is why authoritarian systems are incapable of solving income inequality, and why they cannot expand domestic consumer markets or achieve sustainable economic growth. Abolishing the Fifth Military Service, a covert purge within the Chinese military? On April 19, Xi Jinping dismantled the strategic support force he had established within the Chinese Communist Military eight years earlier, transforming it into an information support force under the direct oversight of the Central Military Commission. This move prompts questions about the motives behind his frequent reorganizations of the military. Previously, the strategic support force was responsible for space, cyber, and electronic warfare, along with psychological operations, intelligence, and aerospace R&D. The new information support unit's role is significantly reduced, focusing solely on managing the network information system. With the abolition of the strategic support force number, the CCP has decreased its main military branches from five to four, the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Rocket Force. Crucially, while the strategic support number was eliminated, the deputy commander and political commissar of that force smoothly transitioned to leading the information support force. However, the former commander, Zhu Qianqing, was not reassigned and was effectively removed. Political analyst Tang Jingyuan posits that Xi's decision to eliminate the strategic support force is due to concerns over its loyalty, which he considers imperative. Mr. Tang noted, Zhu Qianqing, the former head of this army, was implicated in a significant scandal within the Rocket Force. This force is critical as it directly pertains to systems vital to Xi's strategy for competing with the U.S., including military intelligence and aerospace operations. Last year witnessed major disruptions within the CCP's military, including the complete replacement of the Rocket Force's top leadership, the dismissal of the Minister of National Defense, and a cleanse of the General Equipment Department, which also affected the strategic support force. In January, Mr. Yuan Hongbing, a legal scholar residing in Australia, disclosed that insiders characterized Zhu Qianqing's confession as extensive, revealing private military discontent with Xi Jinping's leadership. In March, Yuan further reported that during the probe, Zhu Qianqing and another senior officer admitted to forming a corrupt political clique with Jiang Zemin's son, privately criticizing Xi's governance. Commentator Lan Xu stated that Jiang Zemin's rule involved extensive promotions and corruption as means of control, severely corrupting the military at all levels. Lan remarked, given this context, Xi is cautious about decisively tackling corruption throughout the military, which has not yet met the level of loyalty he demands. He also noted that Xi's authority is poorly regarded among military leaders. Mr. Tang clarified that Xi's gentle purge of Zhu aimed to stabilize the military's tense atmosphere. Xi aims to signal that disloyalty and betrayal, which complicate his rule, will not be tolerated, although the repercussions might be moderate. After the purge, Xi Jinping struggled to find a trustworthy replacement to lead the entire strategic support army. Moreover, the spy balloon incident, which sparked a significant political and diplomatic crisis between China and the U.S., left Xi Jinping both embarrassed and reactive. Mr. Tang commented, Biden even publicly said that Xi Jinping was unaware of the incident. Thus, from Xi Jinping's perspective, he would perceive that the strategic support army had strayed from its operational path, presenting him with diplomatic and political risks. Consequently, he now believes it is essential to undertake a reorganization of this military force. Therefore, according to Mr. Tang, Xi Jinping decisively chose to disband the strategic support army and return to a leadership style he favors— direct command and personal involvement. In another notable point of view, Gao Jingpu, a Ph.D. student at Taiwan's National Defense University's Military Studies Institute, told Radio Free Asia that essentially, Xi Jinping seeks to consolidate control over international propaganda and psychological operations. Gao noted, looking at the period before the Ukraine-Russia conflict, China appears to be positioning itself similarly to Russia, aiming to divide internal cohesion within target nations. But validating these tactics would typically require a war or an election, which leads to some conspiracy theories that Xi Jinping might be setting up the strategic force to align neighboring countries with pro-China governments. However, commentator Zhou Nuan argued that the continued purging, whatever its ideas, indicates that the turmoil within the Chinese military persists. Let us know your thoughts on today's topic by leaving a comment below. If you've found this video helpful, please share it with a friend, it inspires us to continue creating more quality and reliable content. Don't forget to like and subscribe for more interesting insights from China Truths. Thanks for tuning in.