A group of citizens in Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality on Friday publicly protested an increase in the ticket price of public transportation.

The protest took place following a public hearing, during which it was agreed that the city would raise public transportation ticket prices.

The Guangzhou Daily published an article, saying the decision made at the hearing did not reflect the views of the public. It called the public hearing "a trap" for common citizens to vote for an increase in public transportation fares and accused the municipal transportation authority of manipulating public opinion.

The article pointed out that citizens who attended the public hearing had no say in determining whether it was necessary for the city to raise public transportation ticket prices. It also noted that the municipal transportation authority only offered various price increase schemes for citizens to choose from at the hearing.

The article said most public hearings in China encounter the same problems. In light of this situation, the articles says it is time to reverse the trend and ensure that public hearings serve the interest of the public rather than other parties involved .