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As Xi Jinping tightened his control over the country's COVID-19 lockdowns, one expert is warning that his time as leader of the Chinese Communist Party may be coming to an end soon.
Video taken at two locations in Shanghai and Beijing after a weekend of clashes between authorities and protesters revealed a significant security presence.
In a city in western China, the protesters shouted, "Lift the lockdown." On the other side of the nation, in Shanghai, protesters held aloft blank white pieces of paper, transforming them into an understated but potent symbol of resistance.
COVID-19 Protests May Serve as Xi Jinping Leadership's End
One demonstrator was simply holding flowers when they were subsequently apprehended by the police. In a rare case of countrywide social disturbance, protests over China's draconian COVID-19 restrictions erupted over the weekend.
One pro-protest organization posted online requests on Monday for a small number of protestors to congregate in the evening at the People's Square in Shanghai and close to a metro stop in northwest Beijing. Although there was a strong security presence, with police buses and cars guarding the streets, footage shared from the two places, which could be recognized by the buildings and signage in the backdrop.
A multitude of people gathered at a mall in the eastern city of Hangzhou, but they were being closely observed by an even bigger number of uniformed police officers, as per NY Times. According to footage posted online, a woman was screaming as many of the cops dragged her away. The officers were yelled at by onlookers.
This past weekend, some protesters went so far as to demand the resignation of the Communist Party and its chairman, Xi Jinping. Many individuals were sick of Xi Jinping's "zero-Covid" policy, which continues to cause problems in daily life, harm livelihoods, and isolate the nation. Xi Jinping, who in October won a record-breaking third term as the party's general secretary, had become controversial.
The link between a tragic fire in the western Xinjiang region and severe COVID-19 regulations, a major factor in the demonstrations' nationwide growth, was made by "forces with ulterior objectives," according to the Chinese authorities on Monday.
China's population of more than 1.4 billion people continues to be at the mercy of the strict rules. It is intended to eradicate illnesses by enforcing extended quarantines and a battery of tests on people, as well as depending on sudden lockdowns of residential buildings and occasionally entire towns or regions.
Chaos broke out this past weekend in China's streets as Xi Jinping tightened his control over the country's COVID lockdowns, and one expert is warning that his time as leader of the Chinese Communist Party may be coming to an end soon. Gordon Chang, author of 'The Coming Collapse of China,' spoke on 'Fox & Friends First' to explain why he thinks the current COVID-19 protests may mark a political turning point in Xi's rule over the nation.
Chang warned that as long as the people continues to rebel against the government, China would stay in a condition of turmoil. China will continue to be unstable, and Chang predicted that if the issue was resolved quickly, the Communist Party would not have time to plan a military misadventure overseas to divert the attention of the Chinese people.
However, Xi Jinping will act in that way if the situation lasts a long time. He will lash out, invade someone, and start an incident. A Maoist Cultural Revolution veteran named Xi Van Fleet echoed Chang's assessment on 'Fox & Friends' on Monday, calling the rebellion against Xi a "huge deal."
Per Fox News, a warning against what she called the far-inclinations left's that may restrict American freedoms was also made public by Van Fleet in her letter to the American people.
China's Zero-Covid Policy
One of the strictest anti-COVID-19 regulations in the world is found in China. Measures consist of:
- Even if only a few COVID-19 instances are discovered, local authorities must implement stringent lockdowns.
- In regions where cases have been documented, widespread testing is conducted.
- People with COVID-19 are quarantined at government institutions or secluded at home.
- In lockdown zones, shops and schools are shuttered.
- Shops must also close, with the exception of those who sell food.
- Lockdowns continue until there are no new illnesses reported.
There have been tens of millions of people living under some sort of lockdown. Some local governments have gone to extreme lengths, such as making employees spend the night inside factories so they can continue working while confined.
Fearing they would be locked inside the Foxconn facility in Zhengzhou, which produces iPhones, employees organized a mass breakout at the beginning of November. In August, customers at an Ikea store in Shanghai broke through the doors to get out after being confined inside.
China has just had its first COVID-19 death in six months. It reported 40,052 new COVID-19 cases on Monday. That is greater than the previous highest, which occurred back in April, and is up from 39,506 on Sunday. Nearly 200,000 cases are being reported each week.
Although there have been reports of new infections throughout China, Guangzhou in the south and Chongqing in the southwest have been the worst hit. Every day, 7,000-8,000 new COVID-19 cases are reported. Approximately 4,000 new cases are reported daily in Beijing. Comparatively to other nations, China nevertheless has a low overall infection and mortality rate, as per BBC News.
Related Article: China: Video Shows Anger, Frustration of Chinese Protesters Over Xi Jinping's Zero-COVID Policy
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