Anne,
Of course it happens--or can happen--everywhere. In November 2007, for example, three people were trampled to death in a stampede in Chongqing, China.
If there's a difference, I suppose it would lie in the merchandise being sought more than anything else. In Chongqing, they weren't lining up for DVD players or flat-screen TVs. They were lining up for cooking oil.
* A contemporary news article from BBC Asia
* A thoughtful blog on the subject of "boorish" Chinese consumers . . . and the consumption of "grease"
Bah humbug indeed. Check those packages folks. If it says "Made in China" . . . well, you might want to watch this, before you buy:
* Santa's Workshop
"Merry" Christmas.
Steve C.