China’s Economic Protests Spiked to Record Ahead of Tariff Shock

April 17, 2025, 7:53 AM UTC

Protests driven by financial grievances in China saw a steep increase in the months before Donald Trump’s return to power set off a trade war with Beijing that now threatens millions of jobs.

Cases of economic protest rose by 41% in the fourth quarter from the same period last year, according to data compiled by Freedom House’s China Dissent Monitor. The tally was the highest for a three-month period since the US advocacy group began documenting incidents in 2022.

“The prolonged economic malaise in China is leading to accumulated social conflict and dissent by citizens,” according to their ...

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