Chengguan (agency)
| Urban Management and Law Enforcement 城市管理执法 | |
|---|---|
_)_%E5%9F%8E%E5%B8%82%E7%AE%A1%E7%90%86%E6%89%A7%E6%B3%95%E6%A0%87%E8%AF%86.svg){kind=logo} Patch of the Chengguan | |
.png) Cap insignia of the Chengguan | |
_%E5%9F%8E%E5%B8%82%E7%AE%A1%E7%90%86%E6%89%A7%E6%B3%95%E8%87%82%E7%AB%A0.svg) Badge of the Chengguan | |
| Jurisdictional structure | |
| Operations jurisdiction | China |
| Urban Management and Law Enforcement | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simplified Chinese | 城市管理执法 | ||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 城市管理執法 | ||||||
| Literal meaning | Urban Management and Law Enforcement | ||||||
| |||||||
| Alternative Chinese name | |||||||
| Chinese | 城管 | ||||||
| Literal meaning | Urban Management | ||||||
| |||||||
.svg) |
|---|
State representative
Executive organ Military organ
Supervisory organ |
 China portal |
_cap_insignia.svg){kind=small}
.png){kind=small}
Chengguan (城管; 'Urban management', short for 城市管理执法; 'Urban Management and Law Enforcement') is an administrative practice of city-level local governments in the People's Republic of China to oversee and manage city appearance and public environments according to the region's bylaws. Chengguan are non-sworn civil agencies and are not entitled police powers.[1][2][3] Numerous incidents have occurred over the years involving Chengguan seriously wounding innocents and even beating people to death in public.[4]
Duties
[edit]Although varied by region, the responsibilities of Chengguan are usually to maintain urban management order, sanitary environment and city appearance, and carry out urban management by law enforcement, environmental protection supervision and other work, according to government sources.[5][1]
According to an order from the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development in 2017, the scope of administrative penalties for urban management enforcement has been strictly limited to those specified in the laws, regulations, and rules related to the housing and urban-rural construction sector, as well as the administrative penalties related to environmental protection management, business administration, traffic management, water affairs management, and areas of food and drug supervision that pertain to urban management.[1]
Criticism
[edit]
Chengguan are responsible for cracking down on unlicensed street vendors. According to the BBC, "Ever since the agency came into existence 10 years ago, there have been repeated criticism of them using excessive force. This de facto para-police bureau, equipped with steel helmets and stab-proof vests, is often used by local officials as trouble shooters".[4] Chengguan often also clash with standard police who respond to Chengguan brutality reports.[6][7]
In general the Chengguan serve as a civil agency employed by cities across China "to tackle low-level illegal behaviors". The public widely dislike the Chengguan due to their abuses of power,[4] as highlighted in their involvement in several high-profile cases.
A 2012 report by Human Rights Watch documents Chengguan abuses, "including assaults on suspected administrative law violators, some of which lead to serious injury or death, illegal detention, and unlawful forceful confiscation of property".[8]
Incidents
[edit]In 2008, nationwide calls to abolish the unit followed the death of Wei Wenhua,[9] the manager of a construction company who was beaten to death in Tianmen City, Hubei province in January 2008 for filming the actions of the Chengguan in a local dispute over rubbish dumping.
On November 3, 2011, while responding to a call of Chengguan agents committing acts of abuse, Suiping County Public Security Bureau police officer Zhang Ka was assaulted by 20 Chengguan agents after which he was kidnapped by the Chengguan agents and brought to the local police station for "Negotiations". 16 Chengguan were arrested with 3 being charged with assault of a government employee.[6][7]
In 2013, a watermelon seller, Deng Zhengjia, was reported to have been beaten to death with his own scales by Chengguan. His body was protected by people on the street to prevent authorities from seizing it and to "preserve evidence." Violence ensued. Prominent microbloggers have called for the end to what has been termed a "thuggish" organization.[10]
On July 23, 2013, Xining Municipal PSB Chengbei Division police officer Ren Jie, probationary officer Zhou Jiacai and a third probationary officer who responded to an emergency call reporting Chengguan brutality were beat up by 30 Chengguan agents and demolition workers, with Ren's bodycam and Type 64 pistol being stolen by the attackers.[11][12]
In April 2014, a man filming the Chengguan abusing a female street vendor was brutally beaten with a hammer until he was vomiting blood. He was pronounced dead on the way to the hospital. The five Chengguan officers were severely beaten, and four confirmed dead later,[13] with pictures posted on Sina Weibo.[14][15]
2018 Shangqiu clashes
[edit]On April 8, 2018, in Shangqiu, 8 officers[16] of the Shangqiu PSB Dongfang Division's Public Order Team responded to an emergency call regarding the Chengguan conducting an illegal demolition, resulting in verbal arguments between the police officers and Chengguan.[17] A plain clothes Shangqiu PSB auxiliary officer began recording evidence on his phone, after which he along with after which reportedly a SWAT van carrying 4-5 SWAT officers arrived; the SWAT officers deployed tear gas against the Chengguan agents.[18][19][20][17] A total of 8 police officer and 1 Chengguan were injured; An investigation on April 12 resulted in the arrest of 3 Chengguan agents.[16][18]
In popular culture
[edit]As a result of its notorious reputation, the Chengguan has become a popular target of jokes and internet memes.
Time magazine reported that beatings by Chengguan employees have become such commonplace news that "'Chengguan' has even taken on an alternate meaning in Chinese. 'Don't be too Chengguan' is an appeal not to bully or terrorize".[21] "The Chengguan is coming!", a phrase often shouted out by illegal street vendors to warn others to run away in case of a Chengguan inspection, has become a famous Chinese Internet punch line.[citation needed]
There are also satirical jokes of the Chengguan actually being China's secret strategic reserves, the "fifth branch of the PLA", because of their capability to cause "mass destruction". Punch lines such as "Give me 300 Chengguan, I will conquer..." and "China has pledged not to be the first to use Chengguan at any time or under any circumstances in order to keep world peace and stability" have gone viral among Chinese netizens.[22]
Administrative structure
[edit]The bureau is usually structured along two offices and six departments.[5][23][24]
- Administrative Office
- Comprehensive Management Department
- City Appearance Management Department
- Enforcement Management Department
- Legal Department
- Information Department
- Outdoor Advertisement Management Department
- Supervision Office
See also
[edit]- Bylaw enforcement officer
- Ministry of Public Security (China)
- Law enforcement agency
- Law enforcement in China
References
[edit]- ^ a b c 住房和城乡建设部 Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development. "中华人民共和国住房和城乡建设部令（第34号）城市管理执法办法 – 2017年第28号国务院公报 – 中国政府网 Order of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of the People's Republic of China (No. 34) Urban Management Law Enforcement Measures – State Council Gazette No. 28, 2017 – China Government Web". 中华人民共和国中央人民政府 Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China. Archived from the original on 2023-10-11. Retrieved 2023-10-09.
- ^ 住房城乡建设部 Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development. "住房城乡建设部关于印发城市管理执法行为规范的通知 – 国务院部门文件 – 中国政府网 Notice of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development on Issuing the Code of Conduct for Urban Management and Law Enforcement – Departmental Documents of the State Council – China Government Web". 中华人民共和国中央人民政府 Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China. Archived from the original on 2023-10-11. Retrieved 2023-10-09.
- ^ Zhang, Lyuhao. "城市管理综合执法的法理与实践（上） Legal theory and practice of comprehensive law enforcement in urban management (Part 1)" (PDF). 北京市司法局 Beijing Municipal Justice Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2023-10-11. Retrieved 2023-10-09.
- ^ a b c "China arrests over beating death". BBC News. 2008-01-09. Archived from the original on 2019-07-28. Retrieved 2010-01-02.
- ^ a b "Summary of Urban Management". Urban Management Bureau of Suzhou Municipality. Archived from the original on 2008-11-21. Retrieved 2008-11-13.
- ^ a b 河南遂平城管围攻警察 称警察干预城管执法 [Chengguan agents in Suiping, Henan province attacked police officers, claiming the police interfered with chengguan's law enforcement activity]. Xinhua News (in Chinese). November 4, 2011. Archived from the original on 2011-11-08.
- ^ a b "遂平城管围攻民警并押公安局"理论" 三人被拘". CCTV. 2011-11-02.
- ^ "Beat Him, Take Everything Away": Abuses by China's Chengguan Para-Police (Report). Human Rights Watch. May 23, 2012. Archived from the original on 2013-05-18.
- ^ http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/shdaily_sing.asp?id=380290&type=National&page=0[dead link]
- ^ Makinen, Julie (July 19, 2013). "Slaying of watermelon seller triggers fresh anger in China". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on July 19, 2013. Retrieved July 19, 2013.
- ^ "城管﹑拆遷人員暴打執法民警". Radio Free Asia. 2013-07-26.
- ^ "青海西宁城管围殴民警续：当事人系城建人员". Guancha (in Chinese). 2013-07-26.
- ^ Luo, Chris (2014-04-20). "Chengguan officials seriously injured after assault by large crowd". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 2014-04-20. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
- ^ "China: "Violent Government Thugs" Beaten To Death By Angry Crowds After They Killed A Man Documenting Their Brutality". The Liberty Crier. April 20, 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-04-23. Retrieved 2014-04-22.
- ^ "China: "Violent Government Thugs" Beaten To Death By Angry Crowds After They Killed A Man Documenting Their Brutality". Revolution News. 2014-04-19. Archived from the original on 2014-04-23. Retrieved 2014-04-22.
- ^ a b "疑不滿拆遷行動被拍攝 河南逾百城管圍毆8警". Sing Tao Daily (in Chinese). 2018-04-10.
- ^ a b "河南商丘城管强拆与民警冲突:一城管副大队长被拘". Sina (in Chinese). The Paper. 2018-04-13.
- ^ a b "商丘一拆迁现场城管和警察冲突多人受伤，当地成立工作组调查". The Paper (in Chinese).
- ^ "城管与警察冲突是容不得监督的心态在作怪". China Youth Daily (in Chinese) (2 ed.). 2018-04-12. Retrieved 2025-05-13.
- ^ "河南商丘通报"拆迁现场城管警察冲突"调查：3城管被刑拘". The Paper (in Chinese). 2018-04-14. Retrieved 2025-05-13.
- ^ Ramzy, Austin; Yang, Lin (May 21, 2009). "Above the Law? China's Bully Law-Enforcement Officers". TIME. pp. 24–25. Archived from the original on May 25, 2009.
- ^ "城管部队就是牛叉啊". Archived from the original on 2016-01-20. Retrieved 2017-04-02.
- ^ "Main Functions". Beijing Municipal Bureau of City Administration and Law Enforcement. Archived from the original on 2008-10-30. Retrieved 2008-11-17.
- ^ "Zhongshan Urban Management and Law Enforcement Bureau". The Official Website of Zhongshan, China. 2008-10-15. Archived from the original on 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2008-11-17.