Amidst China's continued economic downturn and strained local finances, an increasing number of businesses and individuals are facing so-called "fine-based enforcement." Transportation, urban management, and market supervision departments are increasingly stepping up enforcement efforts, increasing the frequency of inspections and the amount of fines, sparking strong public discontent. Several interviewees told us that some highways have even quietly increased fares, doubling tolls. Many people agree that "whenever the government is short of money, it will find a way to issue fines."
Cui Guanwu, a resident of Shenzhen, Guangdong, told Radio Free Asia on Tuesday (June 24) that local fiscal constraints have become widespread, and law enforcement agencies have been mobilized to "generate revenue." "Local governments are running out of money now, and with less income from land purchases, their finances can't keep up. Traffic police, urban management officials, and sanitation officials are all forced to issue fines. These constant fines are really unbearable for ordinary people. A few days ago, I saw a young man riding an electric scooter without a helmet and was fined 2,000 yuan. Traffic police now stipulate that any electric scooter carrying passengers or cargo will be fined 2,000 yuan! 2,000 yuan is half a month's living expenses for the average family. The fines are getting heavier and heavier."
Urban management enforcement has also sparked controversy. Su Qiang, a resident of Suzhou, Jiangsu, told this station that although the State Council removed small vendors and street vendors from the "Civilized City" assessment last year in an attempt to reduce urban management interference, actual enforcement has not kept pace. "Now, fining street vendors 20 yuan each time doesn't seem that harsh, but you can continue to set up stalls, just like paying 'protection money.' In other cities, the fees are even more exaggerated, 800 or 1,200 yuan. How much money can you make from selling things?"
He added: "This isn't management, it's suppression. You see there's no money to collect taxes, so you target these ordinary people."
Similar cases are not uncommon. According to a December 24th report on the Legal Daily website, a farmer in Yancheng, Jiangsu Province, was fined 100,000 yuan by the Dafeng District Market Supervision Bureau for selling sheep for a profit of 180 yuan. After the case sparked public outcry, the bureau ultimately reduced the fine to 10,000 yuan.
In addition to self-employed businesses and street vendors, many small and medium-sized enterprises have also become targets of frequent enforcement. One private company in Shandong province faced over a hundred administrative inspections between 2021 and 2023, nearly paralyzing its operations
