I’m guessing it’s to protect the rice farmers, since if the price decreases enough, they’ll have to either produce other crops or do something else entirely. They’re already having enough problems with people moving to cities, so I doubt they want to create even more incentive.

PLA/PAP Casualties

Summary is a truck flipped over, supposed friendly fire incident with a non-uniformed soldier, and a heart attack.

According to the linked page with PLA/PAP casualties, there were 15 verifiable deaths (PRC official number is 23). Half of them weren’t directly caused by the protesters, and the other half occurred after troops first opened fire. Truly, I feel quite radicalized.