Chinese copper alloy plat scrapped after environmental protests

Is this beginning of a Chinese environmental movement? As the effects of 'economic growth' being to become more apparent, and a relative amount of wealth by the working class allows for more political awareness, are we seeing more Chinese openly question the 'development at all costs' model?

Chinese media deny any protest happening.

Police in southwestern Sichuan province deployed tear gas against residents protesting a planned molybdenum copper plant in the latest case of environmental activism facing at times violent resistance from authorities.

A Chinese city scrapped plans for a copper alloy plant on Tuesday after three days of protests by residents who feared it would poison them, in the latest unrest spurred by environmental concerns in the world’s second-largest economy.

The government of Shifang in the southwest Sichuan province, which initially said it would only suspend the project by Shanghai-listed Sichuan Hongda, caved in to pressure and announced the project would be stopped.

Protests turned violent on Monday when tens of thousands of residents stormed the city government headquarters, smashed police cars and clashed with thousands of anti-riot police, according to Hong Kong media.

The clashes underscore the rising discontent facing the Communist party, which is struggling to balance economic growth – seen as key to social stability – against rising environmental problems. They also come at a particularly sensitive time for China’s leaders, who are preparing to hand over power to a new generation this year. Chinese people are growing tired of mounting pollution problems, which officials call a “threat to growth”. The World Bank estimates that at least 750,000 Chinese die prematurely each year from pollution-related causes.

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Also, isnt it funny to see the western media cover protest in china but largely ignore the police crackdown on occupy demonstrations in philly over the weekend?

Originally posted by stanguilles7
Also, isnt it funny to see the western media cover protest in china but largely ignore the police crackdown on occupy demonstrations in philly over the weekend?

That's because it's a spin on "how horrible the Chinese government is and look at the people rising up against it". However, they won't show Occupy because that brings OUR government to the forefront and as we all know, the government is innocent it's all the "domestic terrorists" we have that bringing us down.

/sarcasm

So, no one noticed i mis-spelled 'plant' in the headline?