Boxing legend Mike Tyson provides unlikely platform for anti-chengguan rage

US boxing legend Mike Tyson became an unlikely star among Chinese internet users overnight by wading into one of the nation’s most intricate political debates.

The answer he received from thousands was “chengguan”, referring to the controversial civilian force charged with enforcing municipal by-laws such as bans on hawking or illegal construction.

The semi-professional force has gained a reputation for exercising excessive and arbitrary violence as it struggles to deal with increasing urban unemployment. In a survey in July, 87 per cent said they had witnessed clashes between chengguan and street hawkers.

Two years ago, the consultancy Asia Monitor compared the unrest caused by chengguan violence with that of security forces preceding the Arab Spring in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya.

“Chengguan are the best fighters, I don’t think you can beat them”, commented one person on Tyson’s post. “Please come to China be a street peddler, let you know! [sic]”, wrote another.