Fresh Covid Clashes Break Out in China
Thousands of police officers are currently defending themselves against fresh Covid clashes in China’s Guangzhou region, with many suspecting that the incidents are the result of an official crackdown on a growing gang culture. In an era of growing political and social unrest, the repercussions of the latest violence could be far reaching, and could wreak havoc on China’s booming tourism industry, as visitors flock to the city in search of a taste of the country’s rich heritage.
COVID-19 cases hit a daily record in Zhengzhou
Despite the government’s best efforts, the coronavirus has continued to wreak havoc on China’s health system. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the disease a public health emergency. As a result, many Chinese have been forced to take part in a collective quarantine. China’s borders are mostly shut, and flights have been grounded.
The Zhengzhou government has declared a “war of annihilation” against the virus, and has resorted to a host of measures to contain it. Officials have closed shopping malls and office buildings, and have taken the unusual step of isolating the city’s central areas. They have also ordered daily mass testing in order to detect the virus.
Among other things, the city has deployed hazmat suits to patrol the streets. In some areas, waist-high steel barriers are in place. In others, a 7-foot fence is being erected around low-rise brick apartment buildings.
While the name is still a mystery, the oh so clever COVID-19 tidbit is that there has been a small number of cases in China. The largest of these is a case in Hubei, where the virus has killed 294 people.
Zero-COVID policy forces thousands of Chinese citizens to go homeless
Thousands of Chinese citizens have taken to the streets of major cities in a massive protest against the country’s “zero COVID” strategy. China’s ruling Communist Party is putting the world’s strictest anti-virus measures into practice.
The government is hoping to keep China’s COVID-19 infection rate low, limiting disruption to the economy and social development. But global health experts say the policy is unsustainable.
Thousands of Chinese have been locked down for weeks and months, without access to food or medicine. Some have been confined for four months or more. The government has promised to ease the disruption by changing the quarantine.
But in the meantime, the “zero COVID” policy has kept the official death toll at thousands. Keeping the number of cases lower than other countries has been crucial to China’s efforts to fight the virus.
But as the number of cases rises, so do the costs to the economy. In some cities, virus tests are carried out on millions of people a day. This is also a major source of uncertainty for investors.
Protests against zero-COVID police
Several Chinese cities have seen protests over the Zero-COVID policy, an anti-virus strategy implemented by President Xi Jinping. The policy aims to isolate each and every infected person. The strict lockdowns have kept China’s case numbers lower than other major countries. But, experts say, it’s unsustainable.
Protests have erupted in several cities, including Beijing, Wuhan, Shanghai, Zhengzhou and Guangzhou. Videos have emerged of clashes between riot police and Chinese citizens. Some videos show objects being thrown at police. Others show riot police in hazmat suits.
Some people have called for President Xi to step down. Others have called for wider political reforms. Some have criticized the zero-COVID policy and demanded an end to lockdowns.
The biggest protests in mainland China have been in Guangzhou. Clashes between riot police and protesters broke out Tuesday night. According to social media posts, police and protesters were locked in a confrontation over lockdown curbs.
China’s top law enforcement body pledges to crack down on “hostile forces” and “sabotage”
Thousands of Chinese citizens have taken to the streets across the nation to protest the country’s “zero-Covid” policy. The policy, which severely limits travel and food access, has caused economic chaos and anger. Some called for President Xi Jinping to resign and others called for bolder voices to speak out.
In a meeting on Monday, the head of China’s Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission warned against the “hostile forces” behind the protests. This is the first time the Chinese government has directly blamed foreign forces for the unrest. But the warning was framed in a way that could be read as an effort to respond to a rare outpouring of criticism.
The meeting also called for a crackdown on illegal activities and criminal acts. Law enforcement agencies were tasked with safeguarding the nation’s social stability. The meeting also called for efforts to eliminate risks in industrial production.
The meeting did not directly address the issue of country-wide rallies, but it did call for efforts to enhance political judgment and settle disputes in a timely manner. It was a sign that Beijing was trying to head off a repeat of the coronavirus protests.
