Mass protests have broken out in China’s major cities over the zero covid policy. These are the key reasons that sparked the unusual public outcry against the Chinese government.
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Saumya Updated: Nov 28, 2022 3:52 PM IST
Key reasons why large-scale protests have broken out in China over the zero-Covid policy
In a show of populist rage against the Chinese government, hundreds of people took to the streets of China’s largest cities on Sunday to protest the country’s strict zero-Covid policy.
The protest has spread to numerous cities, including Beijing, Chengdu, Hangzhou and Wuhan. Hundreds of protesters and police have engaged in violent altercations in Shanghai.
The protests broke out after the deadly apartment fire that occurred a few days ago in the western end of the country.
China 🇨🇳
Protests are breaking out across China as people have had enough of the draconian zero Covid lockdowns. This is what eventually happens when popular power is mobilized against oppressive governments that take away freedoms and human dignity. pic.twitter.com/NsZgZTxEYT
—James Melville (@JamesMelville)
November 27, 2022
Key reasons behind the protests in China
- On Sunday, China reported a record number of Covid-19 cases: 39,506. Xi Jinping’s government has maintained a strict zero Covid policy and as a result, more lockdowns have been imposed in cities across the country as a result of the rising number of COVID cases. The state government has justified the measure as essential to save lives and prevent the health system from being overloaded.
- The public is increasingly irritated with the zero-tolerance, zero-Covid policy as it grows tired of sudden lockdowns, prolonged quarantines and widespread testing campaigns.
- Protests broke out on Friday in Urumqi, the regional capital of the western Xinjiang region, after a video of a fire in a residential building that claimed at least 10 lives the previous day claimed lockdown restrictions were the reason behind of delays in rescue efforts.
- Public resentment, which peaked just over a month after Xi Jinping was elected to a third term as China’s president, erupted following the fire.
- In the various images taken at the protest sites, chants such as “down with Xi Jinping” and “lift the blockade” can be heard during what initially began as a candlelight vigil in support of the victims in Urumqi. The graffiti on the walls of the university was also captured on camera in photographs and videos; Subsequently, these walls have been painted.
Protest timeline
- A candlelight vigil for victims of an apartment fire in Shanghai on Saturday turned into a protest against Covid restrictions, with protesters demanding the lockdown be lifted.
- A day later, hundreds of protesters engaged in violence with police, calling Covid policy “a game”, emphasizing that an apartment fire in Xinjiang had taken them too far and demanding fundamental human rights.
- At the same location, protesters gathered for a march carrying flowers and blank sheets of paper.
- At least 1,000 protesters in two separate groups gathered along Beijing’s Third Ring Road near the Liangma River in the early hours of Monday and refused to disperse.
- Students at Beijing’s main Tsinghua University also marched against lockdowns and no-tolerance policies, waving banners with mathematical equations instead of slogans.
上海乌鲁木齐路 民众高喊共产党 下台！这是迄今为止最为激进的口号. pic.twitter.com/ijP7lxnIgH
— 李老师不是你老师 (@whyyoutouzhele)
November 26, 2022
In Shanghai and other protest areas, police have remained visibly present. As soon as videos of the demonstrations began to spread, the authorities also blocked online discussion of the demonstration by removing words related to the demonstration from Weibo.
Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: ptivs2.edu.vn