China: January 26, 2002

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The Chinese Communist Party has announced another anti-corruption drive. While there have been a number of high ranking officials prosecuted for corruption, dishonest officials at the village level are still common and this is causing increasing unrest. Since these low ranking officials either control the local police, or cooperate with the cops in corrupt schemes, the popular protests often turn to violence. The proliferation of cell phone and Internet access means that word of these disturbances gets out and become known to many similarly oppressed Chinese. The government fears that this could lead to widespread unrest and lead to a civil war.