Beijing Battles Inflation as Protests Mount

摘要

Spiraling inflation has become a hot political issue in China. Protests over the rising cost of living have erupted in towns across the country over the past three weeks, with Beijing sending in thousands of police to restore order in southern Guangdong province this week after poorly paid migrant workers rioted. The headline consumer price index inflation hit 5.5% in May, the highest in nearly three years. It was pushed up by rising food and other commodity prices, with food prices soaring 11.7% after drought hit farm output.