Photo Caption: As the CCP's local government finances grow increasingly strained, governments across China are finding new ways to extract money from the public. (Getty Images)
[People News] With the Chinese Communist Party's local finances under growing pressure, governments are adopting various methods to take money from citizens. In Shanghai, authorities are forcibly collecting a "head fee" from villagers, while in Henan, merchants are being coerced into making "donations," sparking public outrage.
Recently, a Chinese netizen posted a video revealing that since February 15, the Chenxiang Village in Hangtou Town, Pudong New District, Shanghai, has been charging residents a "comprehensive population service fee" of 120 yuan per person per year. Fees are also being imposed on vehicles entering and leaving the village.
Some residents responded, "Is Shanghai even livable anymore? They're charging a management fee for each person in the village, plus parking fees. Now even rural villages are charging these fees."
Another netizen commented, "Why not just break into people's homes and rob them directly?"
After the video gained attention, the Chenxiang Village Committee responded on February 16, saying the fee was still in the consultation phase and had been temporarily suspended.
Skeptical netizens questioned, "They said 'opinions are not yet unified, so the fee has been suspended.' That statement is very telling. Can they openly disclose who actually supports this fee?"
Another commented, "They’re not charging now, but they’ll find another excuse to charge later."
Meanwhile, in Henan, the Qinghua Town Street Office in Jiaozuo City recently sparked attention for going door-to-door to collect "military support donations," claiming the funds were for national defense.
On January 12, a woman posted a video saying that staff from the Qinghua Town Street Office had asked her to donate 100 yuan. When she refused, saying it was too much, they lowered the demand to 50 yuan, adding that all nearby merchants were required to pay.
Netizens criticized the move, saying, "This is nothing but extortion. Shameless!"
"Where does the money end up?"
A netizen in Beijing also revealed, "In Baimao, Beijing, every month, each person must pay 30 yuan for a 'village entry pass.'"
"It’s the same story everywhere," another said.
Li, a rights activist from Hubei, commented that many local governments are now cash-strapped and are resorting to various means of collecting fees. "The names of these charges will keep increasing. This has always been the case. Whenever a government runs out of money, they find ways to exploit ordinary citizens with all kinds of arbitrary taxes and fees."
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