Why does the cycling movement in China scare the CCP?

This is Kaifeng City, Henan Province, China. These young people simply came here to enjoy guantanbao, a type of steamed bun originating from China, famous for its thin skin and hot soup filling. When eaten, the soup inside flows out, creating a delicious and unique experience. These young people were just riding bicycles and going out for a late night meal. They carried no weapons. So why did the Chinese police set up such strict roadblocks? What exactly is the CCP afraid of? Are they afraid of cyclists? Afraid of people eating steamed buns? Or is it something else, hidden from view? But before we get into the commentary, please like and subscribe to the Coding China channel to stay updated on the most unique analyses. Four female students start the cycling trend to eat guantanbao. The story began on June 18th of this year, when four female students from Zhengzhou University, after finishing their Sunday classes around 7pm, felt a craving for guantanbao. However, by then, there were no longer any buses from Zhengzhou to Kaifeng, and taking the high-speed train was too expensive. So they decided to go by bike. The four agreed immediately, started their journey at 7pm, and after more than three hours arrived in Kaifeng. They had the slogan, youth only comes once, choosing to make this spontaneous trip with their college friends. This was an impulsive act by young people looking for a way to release their emotions. However, many others soon began to imitate this activity, and every weekend, more students rode bicycles to Kaifeng, having hulatang for breakfast and guantanbao for dinner, then returning to Zhengzhou by bus or high-speed train. This phenomenon became increasingly popular, ultimately leading to a spectacle of 200,000 people cycling from Zhengzhou to Kaifeng on November 9th. Videos show long lines of cyclists stretching for tens of kilometers, taking up entire roads and causing total traffic paralysis. Although there was no demonstration, the sheer scale of this nighttime bike parade far exceeded that of the white paper movement. The CCP took notice and immediately ordered a complete ban. Henan University of Science and Technology announced the closure of the campus. Reports indicate that many students from neighboring provinces also joined this activity. One Zhengzhou University student shared, I wouldn't dare do this alone, but in a group, I really could. Online information reveals that the scale of this night cycling movement is much larger than the white paper revolution, but there were no actions or words opposing the government. Many students even carried five-star flags and China's national anthem, warmly welcomed by the residents of Kaifeng. So why is the CCP so afraid? The CCP fears those who are fearless. In reality, what the CCP fears most is large gatherings of people. There is a concept known as the square effect. The square effect suggests that when people are in a group, they are easily influenced by the collective. An Austrian psychologist named Rudolf Steiner Joseph Lorenz called this social induction, suggesting that the larger the number of participants and the stronger the group's power, the fewer people will choose to separate from the group. For instance, if you attend a fascist party rally where everyone around you supports Hitler, you may be influenced to support Hitler as well. This means that sometimes, in a square, people may act in ways entirely contrary to their usual behavior. This is the square effect. If we think about Anderson's famous story, The Emperor's New Clothes, when the child cried out that the emperor isn't wearing any clothes, it happened in a square, where everyone was present. When the child spoke, those around felt resonance, and at that moment, the square effect encouraged others to voice the same. Had the child been at home, they might not have dared say it out loud due to parental control. Thus, voices in a square easily create collective resonance, sometimes sparking movements the CCP fears. For example, during the Romanian Revolution, Romanian Communist Party Secretary General Ceausescu was speaking in a square when someone shouted, he's a murderer, which gradually built into a strong wave of opposition. Ceausescu was shocked, vanished from the scream, and was only seen again after his execution. The CCP fears most when thousands gather, and if someone shouts opposition slogans, the square effect could stir the crowd's minds like a great wave. So, what can be done? Henan University issued a notice to students, informing them that the Henan Provincial Department of Education and the school recently held a meeting regarding night cycling. Currently, the number of people heading to Kaifeng has exceeded 200,000, with participation from many individuals outside of the student body. There were also reports that some malicious actors or hostile foreign forces were participating in this movement. This shows that university administrators truly feel conflicted. Initially, students in schools had no conflict, and this was just a release of youthful energy. However, the school treated students as collaborators with foreign hostile forces. The school even warned students in a WeChat group that the Department of Education had called, saying this event had developed into a political movement and participation would ruin their future. Students would have records that would make it difficult to find jobs in the future. The school requested students contact participants in the cycling movement and tell them to return and stop participating. The traffic police in Zhengzhou and Kaifeng issued a statement saying that the main route from Zhengzhou to Kaifeng had been overtaken by bicycles and other vehicles. To quickly clear these items and ensure traffic safety, a ban would be enforced on non-motor vehicle lanes on the Zhengzhou-Kaifeng route from Zhengzhou from 4pm on November 9 to noon on November 10. Online videos show that the Zhengkai Road was completely blocked, with only police vehicles present. This blockade may have shut down some universities in Zhengzhou, but students from other universities have begun cycling to other provinces. For instance, students in the suburbs of Beijing have begun night cycling to Tiananmen Square only to learn that Beijing authorities don't permit passage. When denied, they could only dismount and push their bikes. In short, this has become a student cycling movement across China. If this movement can continue to develop, it will become an act of contempt and resistance against the CCP. I believe the CCP will use every means to ban or even suppress this movement. Of course, two possibilities exist. One is successful suppression, the other unsuccessful suppression. In reality, the movement's success is less significant than the fact that it has shown students power. We know that the US often talks about seeking peace through strength on the international stage. In fact, when confronting the CCP, if you don't show strength, the CCP will manipulate you as it wishes, suppressing you however it wants. In such a situation, you are very passive. But when you can show strength, the CCP has to concede and retreat. The white paper revolution is a prime example. When people began to protest, Xi Jinping abandoned the strict zero-Covid policy. Therefore, even if students believe their actions are apolitical, simply wanting to go out and eat, it still holds political significance. Of course, if the Communist Party suppresses this movement, it will face the issue of accumulated resentment. Does everyone know why students take such actions? In reality, students are the most restless age group. Why? Because they're young, at an age for rebellion. Moreover, they don't worry about providing for a family since their expenses are covered by parents. So with financial support, they can become professional revolutionaries, doing things without considering consequences. This is different from having a job, where if you don't work, your boss won't pay you, leaving you concerned about living expenses. But for students, whether they attend classes or protest, their money still comes from family support. In some cases, student movements even receive contributions from other social sectors. With this support, they have no worries about food or finances, so students become a primary force in social struggles. In fact, we see throughout Chinese history that many struggles are student-led, like the May 4th movement in 1919, and many other movements. At that time workers were rarely involved, it was mainly students. Today, students in China are deeply resentful, and their dissatisfaction has reached its peak. Because studying takes considerable time and effort, four years for a bachelor's, seven for a master's, or up to nine if pursuing a doctorate. However, these years lack real significance. For example, even with a master's degree, you might not find a job. After spending much time and money on tuition and living expenses, when you graduate, society doesn't welcome you. Every company, if they hire you, often only offers a low salary. Therefore, no matter how diligently students study, even those at prestigious schools like Tsinghua and Peking University face no guarantee of employment. Or if you engage in school clubs or practical social activities, making your resume look better, it often has little impact on job prospects. Moreover, many parents of students are in mid-middle age, facing midlife crises. Nowadays, many companies cut salaries and reduce expenses, and when parents cannot financially support their children, supporting students becomes even harder. Thus, family financial support for students weakens, while job searches become extremely challenging. These students cannot find a release for their youthful enthusiasm. In reality, when the Arab Spring Revolutions took place, from Tunisia to Egypt, a main reason was that young people could not find jobs. When these young people cannot find employment, when they feel life is meaningless, they cannot hold back their energy and enthusiasm. They have ample time and energy, and will seek ways to release it. They call such trips unplanned journeys, to release their energy. If the CCP suppresses that energy, it will find a way to release it in another form. So if the CCP continues to suppress students, even if they succeed this time, similar events will happen in the future. Remember the fireworks revolution in 2023 when the CCP banned fireworks for Lunar New Year in many cities, but people still lit fireworks en masse. This happened after the white paper revolution, and the CCP's strict lockdown policies ended in late 2022. People needed to release that pent-up enthusiasm, to relieve stress and erupt with energy. So they organized the fireworks revolution during Lunar New Year 2023, regardless of bans. Thus, even if the CCP suppresses this movement, it will only deepen student resentment, and that resentment will flare up again in another form. Especially as the economy worsens, the CCP will find it increasingly difficult to maintain stability. Therefore, I believe that the CCP's good times can only be a day-by-day existence. 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