Thousands of Shanghai Residents Demand Officials Declare Assets

Anti-corruption activists gathered at government buildings in Shanghai to protest against corruption on Dec. 12.
Thousands of Shanghai Residents Demand Officials Declare Assets
12/15/2012
Updated:
8/14/2015

Anti-corruption activists gathered at the Chinese Communist Party Municipal Office in Shanghai early on Dec. 12, demanding the government declare the income, real estate, and investment holdings of officials and their families.

The People’s Congress of Shanghai and the city’s office for petitioner complaints are located in the same building.

The activists included farmers who lost their properties to unlawful construction projects, now-homeless people who lost their houses in illegal demolitions, a number of unemployed workers, and people who can’t afford necessities like education for their children, or health care. 

The protesters, having lost hope in the regime’s ability to solve their problems, blame rampant corruption for a lack of fairness in society.

By 10 a.m., over 2,000 activists had arrived, and petitioned peacefully. Police kept watch, with cars nearby.

Shanghai is China’s largest city, and is considered the home of former Party head’s Jiang Zemin’s faction. Xi Jinping, the new Party leader, has spoken often of fighting corruption; now, some Chinese appear to be holding him to his word.

Read the original Chinese article.

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