A Stable Chinese Society in 2019: Under Tightening Control

Society-wise in China, 2019 was largely devoid of violent incidents. The most significant incidents were labour rights protests in high-tech industries, and outcries from middle-class parents over food and vaccine safety hazards. As the economic slowdown and US-China trade war have posed greater challenges for Chinese society, the Party-state has sought to deepen its control of society. State-of-the-art digital technologies have been incorporated in traditional Leninist control at the grassroots, and greater efforts have been invested in promoting ideological education. While such a strategy may seem to have maintained stability and peace now, its actual effects in the long run remain to be seen.