69 lines
3.3 KiB
Markdown
69 lines
3.3 KiB
Markdown
The **Qidong Pipeline Campaign of 2012** was a grassroots [environmental
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protest](Timeline_of_Environmentalism "wikilink") that started in the
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city of Qidong, Jiangsu, [China](China "wikilink") on the 28th of July,
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[2012](Timeline_of_Libertarian_Socialism_in_Eastern_Asia "wikilink").
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## Background
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The coastal city of Qidong is located at the mouth of the Yangtze River,
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approximately one hour north of Shanghai. The city's economy is centered
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largely on the fishing industry, and is a major source of lobster and
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shrimp exports. In 2007, the [Japan](Japan "wikilink")-based Oji Paper
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Company began construction of a paper mill in the city of Nantong,
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Jiangsu, located approximately 100 km inland from the coast. A
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wastewater pipeline was designed to carry approximately 150,000 tons of
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waste water per day from Nantong to the coast off Qidong. Although
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representatives of the paper company gave assurances that the water
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would be purified to meet environmental standards, Qidong residents
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feared the discharge would pollute water supplies, adversely affecting
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the fishing industry and drinking water. Some residents further claimed
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that they were not properly consulted about the project.
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## Events
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On 28 July, roughly 10,000 Qidong residents took to the streets to
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demand the suspension of the pipeline project. An estimated 1,000
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protesters stormed government buildings, where they were reportedly seen
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"smashing computers, overturning desks and throwing documents out of the
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windows to loud cheers from the crowd," according to *The Guardian.*
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Information circulated on the popular microblogging site Sina Weibo said
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that the protesters discovered condoms and expensive liquor in
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government offices. The city's mayor, Sun Jianhua, was stripped of his
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shirt and then made to wear an opposition T-shirt. At least five cars
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were overturned, and protesters clashed violently with police. A
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reporter with Asahi Shimbun was reportedly beaten by security forces
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while taking photographs of protesters "under attack by police."
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Additionally, according to the Google Translated version from Chinese
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Wikipedia: "Citizens who entered the city government office building
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were very excited after searching out a large number of travel photos,
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travel hats, famous cigarettes, condoms, etc. At the scene, there was a
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scold. The wine was poured all over the place, and the fragrance of the
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wine lasted for a long time." The editors of
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[libsocwiki](Libertarian_Socialist_Wiki "wikilink") are unable to
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determine the meaning of this.
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## Results
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As a result of the protest, the Qidong Pipeline construction was
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canceled.
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The Qidong Protest had the effect of inflaming anti-Japanese sentiment
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in China. The Wall Street Journal reported on nationalist comments
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posted on China's Weibo blogging site: "How can a Japanese paper factory
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come and damage Chinese people's health and our environment? How can we
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with our 1.3-billion population be afraid of that little Japan?," wrote
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one user from Guangdong province. Other called for a boycott of Japanese
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products.
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## See Also
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- [Shifang Anti-Factory
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Campaign](Shifang_Anti-Factory_Campaign_\(2012\) "wikilink")
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- [Ningbo Anti-Refinery
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Campaign](Ningbo_Anti-Refinery_Campaign_\(2012\) "wikilink")
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## References
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[Wikipedia](Wikipedia "wikilink") (Chinese) - [Qidong
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protest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qidong_protest) |