Tibetans boycott Chinese vegetable vendors, Qinghai, Tibet/China, 2011

Tibetans in Nangchen County, Qinghai province, China/Tibet, bought vegetables from Chinese vendors until early 2011, when the prices began to increase dramatically. In Chinese-owned vegetable shops, the price of 1 kg of apples increased from 2 yuan to 8 yuan, and the prices of other staple foods, such as cabbage, onions, and potatoes, also increased. The price increases put financial strain on Tibetans. 

Shortly before Chinese New Year in early February, Tibetans from a community organization tried to negotiate with the vendors, but the vendors refused to lower the prices. Tibetans then appealed to local police, who refused to intervene.

Tibetan men and women convened at a meeting to decide on a course of action to address the price increases. After debate and discussion, the community men and women decided to stage a complete boycott of Chinese vegetable vendors. One participant claimed that the boycotts used in the Indian independence movement inspired the action. When approached by the group, Tibetan businessmen in Nangchen agreed to import vegetables and other food products from Xining, the capital of Qinghai province (which is around 965 kilometers from Nangchen), and sell them in Nangchen at “affordable” rates.

By April 2011, the majority of Tibetans in Nangchen were reported to be participating in the boycott. Tibetans in Jyekundo, another county in Qinghai, opened nine Tibetan-run and owned vegetable shops. The boycott seemed to be successful, because the Chinese vendors lodged a complaint with police as well. They informed police that they were experiencing a lack of business. The police again refused to intervene. However, they warned the boycotting Tibetans that if the boycott became associated with “the Dalai Lama or Tibetan independence,” they would take action against the boycotts. Police officers and their families were also forbidden from taking part in the boycott.

One Tibetan reported that the community wished to see the Chinese stores close and that people felt the Chinese vendors were taking advantage of the community.

The boycott and new shops continued successfully through late May 2011, when reports emerged that Tibetans in neighboring Dzado, and Surmang counties had joined the boycott of Chinese-owned vegetable shops. These boycotts were initiated after debates held by the Tibetan community in response to similarly high prices for staple foods in these counties. Tibetan businessmen in these counties joined the Nangchen businessmen in importing food from Xining.

The boycotts were thus transformed into something new: an economy run by Tibetans, for Tibetans, which has successfully continued until at least July 2012, which is the last report the researcher was able to find. There are no further records of boycotts or protest against Chinese vendors.