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Demonstrations against the strict policy known as ‘Covid zero’ are expanding to petitions, inside and outside the country, for the resignation of President Xi Jinping. Given the anger, the Government reported this November 28 that it will relax some of the restrictions, but confirmed that it will not change the course of its measures when infections increase. At least a dozen cities abroad, including London, Paris and Tokyo, have joined the demonstrations in solidarity with Chinese citizens.
The strict policy aimed at eradicating Covid-19 in China has become a lightning rod of frustrations.
The current protests, the biggest show of opposition to the ruling Communist Party in decades, spill over into calls for 10-year-old President Xi Jinping to step down.
“Withdraw Xi Jinping”, “no to the dictatorship, we want democracy”, “down with the Communist Party” or “no more confinements, we want freedom” are among the main calls in the protests that began due to the policy known as ‘Covid zero’ . Unusual requests in a country where rebelling against his government is a risky step and demonstrations are unusual.
“The ‘Covid zero’ policy is kind of the spark that ignited this wave of protests, but underneath that, we’re seeing more and more people expressing complaints, not just about ‘Covid zero’ but more broadly about the system. political,” said Rory Truex, Professor of Politics and International Affairs at Princeton University.
“Now we are showing them support from abroad”
The fateful fire in Xinjiang, where 10 people died last week after being trapped in their apartments, a disaster blamed on strict lockdown measures although authorities deny this, ignited social unrest. Sometimes a tragedy is enough to arouse the anger of a people.
Proof of this is the extension of the mobilizations to at least a dozen Chinese cities and the protests abroad in solidarity with the affected citizens.
Vigils and demonstrations take place in locations across Europe, Asia and North America. Among them, London, Paris, Tokyo and Sydney.
Outside the Pompidou Center for Art and Culture in the French capital, activists brought flowers and lit candles for those killed in the Xinjiang fire. Some directly blamed President Xi Jinping and the Communist Party and demanded his removal.
“It’s what I should do. When I saw so many Chinese citizens and students take to the streets, I feel that they have assumed much more than us (…) Now we are showing them support from abroad,” said Chiang Seeta, one of the organizers of a demonstration in Paris.
However, in a briefing on Monday, November 28, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said it was not aware of any overseas protests ending its ‘Covid zero’ policy.
The Chinese government relaxes some restrictions amid protests
In the last few hours, the Beijing authorities announced that they will no longer install gates to block access to apartment complexes where Covid-19 infections have been detected.
“Passes must remain clear for medical transportation, emergency escapes and rescues,” said Wang Daguang, a city official in charge of epidemic control.
In his announcement, he did not refer to accusations by protesters that firefighters and victims who tried to flee the flames were blocked by antivirus controls in last week’s fire.
Also, this Monday the manufacturing and commercial metropolis of southern Guangzhou, the biggest hotspot in the latest wave of infections in the country, announced that some residents will no longer be required to undergo mass tests. Local authorities referred to the need to optimize resources.
Coronavirus infections increase
This Monday, the authorities reported a fifth consecutive daily record of Covid-19 infections. The number of cases in the last 24 hours rose to 40,347, including 36,525 without symptoms.
Although the ruling party promised to reduce the scope of its health policy last October, which was widely accepted until now three years after the pandemic emerged, it has run out of steam and the Xi administration has no plans to change course from substantial way.
The ruling party’s newspaper People’s Daily called for its anti-virus strategy to be carried out effectively, saying Xi’s government has no plans to change course.
“The facts have fully demonstrated that each version of the prevention and control plan has withstood the test,” reported the official media.
Beijing’s tough health policies have kept official death tolls from the virus lower compared to other countries, but in return citizens have borne the cost of long lockdowns and damage to the world’s second-largest economy. .
With Reuters, AP and EFE
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