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| 'Thousands riot' in China protest | 'Thousands riot' in China protest |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A protest staged by thousands of rural workers in central China ended in violent clashes last week, media reports and an official said. | |
| Several people were injured as up to 20,000 people clashed with 1,000 police in Hunan province on Friday, a local official told Reuters news agency. | Several people were injured as up to 20,000 people clashed with 1,000 police in Hunan province on Friday, a local official told Reuters news agency. |
| A report on the Boxun Chinese news website said the clash was sparked by rising public transport costs. | A report on the Boxun Chinese news website said the clash was sparked by rising public transport costs. |
| Rural regions of China have mounting unrest in recent years. | Rural regions of China have mounting unrest in recent years. |
| Thousands of protests were held last year amid growing discontent over the widening gap between rich and poor and corruption among officials at local level and above. | Thousands of protests were held last year amid growing discontent over the widening gap between rich and poor and corruption among officials at local level and above. |
| The latest reported unrest came as the Chinese legislature, the National People's Congress, held its annual session in Beijing. | The latest reported unrest came as the Chinese legislature, the National People's Congress, held its annual session in Beijing. |
| Discontent | Discontent |
| At least nine police cars were burnt during the clashes, the Boxun report said. | At least nine police cars were burnt during the clashes, the Boxun report said. |
| Protesters clashed with police armed with guns and electric cattle prods, the Reuters news agency reported. | Protesters clashed with police armed with guns and electric cattle prods, the Reuters news agency reported. |
| A number of police and protesters were injured - with some taken to hospital - but none were thought to be in a serious condition. | A number of police and protesters were injured - with some taken to hospital - but none were thought to be in a serious condition. |
| The official, from the Hunan city of Yongzhou, told Reuters that the protesters "were not satisfied with some government behaviour". | The official, from the Hunan city of Yongzhou, told Reuters that the protesters "were not satisfied with some government behaviour". |
| "They were also unhappy about official corruption," the official added. | "They were also unhappy about official corruption," the official added. |
| The overseas-based Boxun, which is blocked inside China by the Beijing government, reported that protesters had been dissatisfied with the rising cost of bus prices. | The overseas-based Boxun, which is blocked inside China by the Beijing government, reported that protesters had been dissatisfied with the rising cost of bus prices. |
| The government has introduced a series of measures to try and address the sources of discontent in rural communities. | The government has introduced a series of measures to try and address the sources of discontent in rural communities. |
| They include pumping billions of dollars into the rural economy in the form of farm subsidies, as well as reining in the seizures of farmland for development and tackling government corruption. | They include pumping billions of dollars into the rural economy in the form of farm subsidies, as well as reining in the seizures of farmland for development and tackling government corruption. |