China’s economy has been in a prolonged slump, with frequent reports of group incidents and the widening scope of involvement. In recent years, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has included seven areas, including finance, real estate, labor relations, new employment groups, cyberspace, grassroots communities, and conflict resolution, in the framework of “maintaining social stability” as part of its efforts to address the ongoing challenges. Interviewees have noted that this indicates authorities are intensifying surveillance comprehensively, turning social issues into targets for political control.
According to Mr. Yao, an insider in the CCP system, the economic downturn has led to a surge in unemployment and a growing number of retaliatory and group incidents triggered by unpaid wages, prompting authorities to expand the scope and severity of their stability maintenance measures. He revealed, “The methods for stability maintenance are now systematized. I heard they are roughly categorized into seven types, including finance, real estate, labor relations, new employment groups, cyberspace stability, community grid stability maintenance, as well as family conflicts and neighborhood disputes. Whenever an incident occurs, the first step is to block the news, which is their main method of stability maintenance.”
In January 2026, the CCP Central Political and Legal Affairs Work Conference was held in Beijing. The official statement from the meeting emphasized the need to “seize early and minor issues, and make full efforts to maintain social stability,” aiming to prevent and resolve stability risks related to finance, real estate, and labor relations, among other areas, with demands for “early intervention, breaking down issues into smaller parts” and the unity of rights protection and stability maintenance.
Mr. Deng, a rights activist from Langfang, Hebei, told reporters that while finance and real estate issues are typically economic in nature, in China, once depositors, homeowners, or investors band together for rights protection, local governments view it as a stability risk. He remarked, “When ordinary people can’t get their houses, withdraw their savings, or have been cheated in investments, these issues should ideally be solved through legal procedures and government regulation. But now, if just three or more people seek rights protection, the Political and Legal Affairs Committee categorizes it as a group incident, prohibiting petitions and online complaints. As a result, the victims become targets of stability maintenance efforts.”
Mr. Deng also mentioned that neighborhood grid staff have become quite active in their community, forming large groups and smaller units to address complaints. He elaborated, “The large group consists of residents from the neighborhood, while the smaller units are based on each building. If anyone vents their grievances, they will immediately approach you to try and resolve the issue. Neighborhood matters are usually resolved easily, but rights protection issues are not. Now, even quarrels among neighbors are managed, but children wandering unsupervised are left unattended.”
He further noted that local authorities are particularly concerned about labor disputes escalating into street incidents, where issues like wage arrears, factory closures, and the gathering of food delivery riders become sensitive points. In many regions, instead of instructing the business owner to repay debts, the police station, local street offices, and grid staff are sent to negotiate with the leaders of the groups. While rights protection is permitted, gatherings and video sharing are restricted.
In recent years, discussions have arisen multiple times due to issues faced by gig economy workers such as food delivery riders, ride-hailing drivers, and couriers related to platforms withholding earnings, dispatch rules, declining incomes, and labor rights concerns. Interviewees believe that these new employment groups, with their significant numbers and widespread distribution, are easily brought into the scope of local government risk control once they engage in collective actions.
Mr. Shen, a Chinese studies scholar, told reporters that broader stability maintenance measures are quietly being implemented, with a focus on cyberspace, as many events are disseminated through online channels. He indicated that without social media, people are unable to communicate and exchange information, hindering their ability to unite for rights protection.
The official meeting statement also emphasized the need to advance a special action to cleanse the internet, combating online rumors, cyber violence, internet armies, hackers, and other disruptive activities while holding platforms accountable.
Mr. Shen explained that the so-called “clean internet” is essentially about controlling the dissemination of information. Additionally, grassroots community stability maintenance has become critical, as many large-scale group incidents often originate from minor issues at the grassroots level. For instance, following a recent incident involving animal abuse in Chongqing, animal rights activists were removed by the police at the scene, indicating authorities’ concerns about the incident escalating.
Mr. Shen opined that the intertwining of economic issues, livelihood problems, online expressions, and family neighborhood disputes under stability maintenance measures signals the CCP’s aim to transform more social issues into targets for political control.