Why China Is Nervous About the Arab Uprisings

Introduction

Peter Parks/Agence France-Presse -- Getty ImagesPolicemen diffusing crowds in Shanghai on Feb. 27 after anonymous calls for protests circulated on the Internet.

As protests swept the Arab world, toppling two regimes, the Chinese government has strengthened its elaboratesecurity apparatus withcrackdowns on human rights lawyers and activists.

On the Chinese Internet, anonymous calls for a "Jasmine Revolution" -- modeled after the pro-democracy demonstrations in the Middle East -- have been squelched by authorities. Words like "Egypt" and "Tunisia" have been blocked on some Web searches and social networking sites have been made inaccessible.

Unlike Arab countries with deteriorating economies, China has experienced rapid economic growth in the past decade. Is that keeping a lid on broad discontent in China? If that is the case, why is the Chinese government so nervous? Could popular protests of a similar scale sweep China in the near future?

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