A wave of large-scale protests is sweeping across China as factory workers, teachers, and even sanitation workers take to the streets over unpaid wages and new government-imposed fees. The unrest, intensifying throughout April, reflects deepening economic stress exacerbated by President Donald Trump’s tariffs and a faltering post-pandemic recovery.
Many demonstrators report back wages stretching as far back as 2023. Businesses, heavily burdened by debt, have struggled to meet payroll due to diminished revenue from export tariffs and collapsing domestic markets. Protesters accuse the Chinese Communist Party of concealing the true state of the economy and mismanaging the crisis.
Adding fuel to the fire, cash-strapped local governments are imposing new taxes and fees, such as “sanitation management” and “parking” charges, sparking anger from residents. In Zhejiang province, failure to pay these fees results in fines and vehicle immobilization. Locals have called these policies “extortion” and “illegal.”
The protests are notable for their growing scale and diversity. It is no longer just migrant workers demanding wages; government employees and professionals are also joining the demonstrations, signaling a breakdown in the CCP’s promise of social stability. Some teachers have not been paid in over six months, while their annual bonuses have been indefinitely canceled.
Chinese state media has largely ignored or downplayed the protests, but videos and images are being circulated by dissidents and citizen journalists. Protesters have camped outside company offices, cooked meals on sidewalks, and openly challenged officials.
The China Labor Bulletin warns the situation could worsen as more citizens lose patience. Subcontractors in the garment industry—once the backbone of Chinese manufacturing—are shutting down en masse, unable to survive lost Western orders. With hope fading, protests once rare in tightly controlled China are erupting with increasing frequency and scale.
