Widely loathed chengguan voted China's 'most distrusted' government department

Urban management and law enforcement bureaus are China’s most distrusted government departments, according to a recent survey.

Officials of city administrative and law enforcement bureaus, known as 'chengguan', have been embroiled in a serious of scandals over the years and received widespread criticism for their ‘thuggish’ ways. This month, four chengguan officers were convicted over the murder of a 56 year old watermelon vendor who was beaten to death with his own scales after an argument with the four men over his right to sell fruit in the area. Such abuse is not atypical, according to Time Magazine, the term 'chengguan' has become shorthand among many Chinese to mean 'bully' or 'terrorise'. Human Rights Watch published a 76 page report on alleged abuses by chengguan official titled ‘beat him, take everything away.’

The survey was compiled based on responses from 540 communities nationwide. Particpipants had to select the government agency they trusted most. The police received top spot. This is the second consecutive year chengguan ranked as least trusted.

[Image via Ta Kung Pao]