Crushing evil influences

by CqFox, posted in 未分类

A nationwide campaign has been on the go, quietly but conspicuously, in the form of banners hung up in public areas and billboards.

The theme is 扫除黑恶 (Sao chu hei e), meaning something like to eradicate underground practices.

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A public banner about eradicating underground influences and maintaining public order

For quite some time, I didn’t really pay much attention, as nothing in everyday life had changed, and it was never specified what exactly was being referred to by underground influences.

A friend of mine then asked me once if I knew what the campaign was about, and a few days after, I finally noticed a stand in an Entry and Exit Bureau describing what exactly is meant.

For those interested, I’m going to post a few cartoons released to illustrate the targets of the campaign. There isn’t any one particular group or activity being aimed at, but rather a broad range of disruptive social phenomena.

I won’t translate the cartoons. A general gist should suffice.

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Usury, violent debt collection, unlawful confinement and impersonating the police.
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Prostitution, gambling and drugs.
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Crackdown on rural village oppression by powerful families and those under their protective umbrella.
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Using threats and violence to appropriate public and private property.
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Vandalism
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Public disturbances
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Market oppression in the form of coerced transactions and protection money
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Arbitrarily blocking public transport and medical facilities

 

As you can see, the campaign is quite broad and far reaching, but wouldn’t normally have any effect on the daily lives of foreign residents and visitors.

On a final note, the two characters on the policeman’s staff is 正义 (Zheng yi), meaning justice.