Fiscal Austerity at the "Two Sessions": Vaccine Rights Activists and Petitioners Become Key Targets for Stability Maintenance

Before the CCP's Two Sessions convened, Beijing police conducted inspections at Tiananmen Square.

People News - During China's annual "Two Sessions" in Beijing, authorities across the country significantly ramp up security. However, given the sluggish economy and sharp decline in government revenue, this year the authorities have made selective adjustments in their stability maintenance efforts. While some measures like forced "vacation" detentions have been scaled back, petitioners and vaccine rights activists have become primary targets for control.

According to Voice of America, the National People’s Congress (NPC) opened in Beijing on March 5. That evening, Chaoyang District resident Qian Dalong was forcibly taken on a "travel" trip by the authorities. In an interview with Voice of America, Qian revealed that he was escorted by three government personnel and placed in a hotel in Guilin, Guangxi. He believes he will only be allowed to return to Beijing after the conclusion of the "Two Sessions."

Qian explained, "They let me choose where to go, so I chose Guilin and am staying in a hotel. When I go out, they follow me. Since the 'Two Sessions' is a sensitive time, the authorities are afraid that I might do something. They’re probably worried that I’ll try to approach the delegates in Beijing or that journalists might come to my home to interview me. I can only go back to Beijing after the 'Two Sessions' end."

Vaccine Rights Activist Qian Dalong Forcibly "Sent on Vacation"

In 2021, Qian Dalong responded to the government’s call and received the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine. However, after his third dose, he suddenly became paralyzed. Although he has gradually recovered after treatment, his health has suffered severe damage.

Seeking justice, Qian approached the hospital where he was vaccinated, as well as local neighborhood committees, demanding accountability, but received no response. He then submitted his medical records to the Chaoyang Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Chaoyang District Medical Association for evaluation. The official conclusions were simply that his condition was a "coincidence" and "unrelated" to the vaccine.

After the incident, Qian lost his job and had to rely on unemployment benefits and his wife’s salary to cover medical expenses and living costs. He filed complaints with the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the National Bureau of Letters and Calls, and other government agencies, but all departments shirked responsibility.

Last year, Qian joined other individuals who suspected they had suffered vaccine-related complications in an attempt to submit a petition at the "Two Sessions." Their proposal called for the establishment of a COVID-19 vaccine injury compensation mechanism. However, for the second consecutive year, he was placed under strict surveillance during the event, losing his freedom.

Qian described his situation: "One police officer, along with two security guards or community workers, take turns monitoring me. Each shift has three people. There are two shifts a day—one from 7 AM to 7 PM and another from 7 PM to 7 AM. If I go out, they must follow me, and I am not allowed to visit sensitive locations. My phone is probably being monitored. In Changping, Beijing, a woman named Liu Yan is also under surveillance. In other places, like He Cixiang in Jingzhou, Hubei, there are also (suspected vaccine victims) being monitored."

Qian condemned the authorities for their harsh stability maintenance measures against suspected vaccine victims, preventing them from submitting their petition to the "Two Sessions" representatives.

"I believe they are illegally restricting our personal freedom and denying us the opportunity to defend our rights. We hope that 'Two Sessions' representatives will hear our voices. The authorities suppress individuals instead of addressing the root problem," Qian said.

Shanghai's Grassroots Government Mobilizes to Intercept Petitioners in Beijing

Each year during the Chinese Communist Party's "Two Sessions," Shanghai is viewed by the authorities as a crucial area for maintaining stability. Dissident Song Jiahong (宋嘉鴻) shared in an interview with Voice of America that this year, the Shanghai authorities have noticeably intensified their efforts to intercept petitioners in Beijing, with estimates suggesting that as many as a thousand individuals may have joined the stability maintenance operations.

Song Jiahong explained: "The suburbs of Shanghai operate under a three-tier government structure: town government, district government, and city government, along with the district and city governments located in the city center. There are 216 grassroots units across Shanghai, averaging five personnel per unit. To conduct interceptions in Beijing, each unit would send at least ten people, so five is a very conservative figure. This totals nearly a thousand individuals."

He noted that since Shanghai adopted the "stability maintenance mode," at least 12 petitioners have been detained by the authorities, including five elderly individuals over the age of 70 who have lost their freedom.

Song Jiahong remarked: "80% of those detained are captured in Beijing. Three or four individuals are taken directly from their homes. They are brought to hotels, restaurants, and farmhouses in Shanghai. The government even allocates funds, deploying six to eight personnel for each individual, monitoring them around the clock. The petitioning department remains inactive and does not address any issues. Petitioners find themselves with no options; their only recourse is to go to Beijing. Traditionally, during the Two Sessions, representatives from the National People's Congress would address petitioners. This tradition has now been abolished."

According to Song Jiahong, the primary objective of Shanghai's grassroots government is to prevent petitioners from traveling to Beijing. To achieve this, the authorities are willing to offer financial incentives, promising payments of up to 10,000 yuan to those who agree not to petition.

Local Financial Struggles Impact Stability Maintenance During the "Two Sessions"

Ji Feng, a leader of the "June Fourth Movement," has consistently been a primary target for local government efforts to maintain stability. During last year's "Two Sessions," authorities compelled him to leave his hometown in Guizhou for travel elsewhere. A local dissident familiar with Ji Feng's situation, who wished to remain anonymous, informed Voice of America that Ji Feng has been residing in the suburbs of Beijing for the past six months. However, recently, the authorities required him to stay in Guizhou during the "Two Sessions" under the guise of assisting with living expenses.

This dissident estimates that the decision not to arrange for Ji Feng to travel this year is linked to the financial constraints faced by local governments.

A Guizhou dissident remarked, "In the past, he would definitely travel every day. Now, finances are tight, and there is no budget. Aside from Shanghai, which has a fiscal surplus, other regions are all experiencing negative growth. Previously, there were numerous expenses related to stability maintenance, including salaries for stability personnel, dining costs, and subsidies or monthly living expenses for petitioners or politically sensitive individuals, all of which were part of the stability maintenance budget. Now, due to reduced financial allocations, they have to cut various expenses. This budget was originally quite substantial, with significant events like the Two Sessions, June Fourth, and World Human Rights Day occurring each year."

Xu Zhangrun, a former professor at Tsinghua University's Law School, has frequently criticized the government and its leaders in his writings. In 2020, he was dismissed from his teaching position by Tsinghua under the pretext of "moral corruption" after being accused of soliciting prostitution and administratively detained by Sichuan police.

A Guizhou dissident interviewed indicated that, to their knowledge, Xu Zhangrun is under strict surveillance by the authorities during the "Two Sessions."

A dissident from Guizhou stated, "There are nine cameras at Xu Zhangrun's door. The moment he steps outside, all nine cameras are focused on him. Xu Zhangrun wields considerable influence, and this situation has generated significant attention, particularly within the intellectual community. Furthermore, Harvard University in the United States has offered him a two-year teaching position. He also has personal connections with senior officials from the (former) Biden administration."

Dissidents have analyzed that during this year's "Two Sessions," dissidents and rights lawyers were not the primary targets of the authorities' surveillance. However, they believe that the authorities are preparing for the upcoming 10th anniversary of the large-scale crackdown on July 9.

A dissident from Guizhou remarked, "This year, with the exception of a few individuals, the 709 (victimized lawyers) have not been assigned to their posts, as their 'role' during the Two Sessions is minimal. However, as we approach the 10th anniversary of the 709 (crackdown) around July 9, they will certainly be under heightened scrutiny. The Two Sessions are a crucial time for petitioners, but not for political prisoners; they can be managed or ignored. As long as they are not in Beijing, their location is inconsequential. In the case of the June Fourth incident, they must be monitored 24 hours a day."