The Biden Administration has voiced its disapproval at China’s severe COVID-19 lockdown policies, showing support for an uprising of countrywide protests from Chinese citizens. In a powerful wave of resistance, these widespread demonstrations signify an unprecedented show of unrest in a country where public dissent is often stifled.
Upon reviewing China’s intense zero COVID strategy, the White House deemed it unsuccessful and unrealistic. It points out that despite a lower fatality rate, dictated by the World Health Organization’s estimates, the strict regulations took a toll on China’s already strained economy and disrupted the personal freedoms and social lives of its population. The contrast is stark when compared with other countries like the United States, where measures have been relaxed and vaccination rates continue to soar.
As the protesters, baring flowers as symbols of peace, took to the streets of Beijing, Urumqi, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, sentiments of courage, bravery, and yearning for freedom echoed throughout the crowds. Many demonstrated because they believed their government should prioritize improving immunization rates and making treatment and testing more accessible. Moreover, these intense regulations were put into place in the midst of other nations relaxing their lockdown measures, exemplifying China’s outlier status in the global pandemic landscape.
The people of China have suffered through three years of tight COVID-19 restrictions, enduring lockdown after lockdown, with the worst-hit city of Wuhan providing a stark warning about the effects of long-term lockdown policies. The recurrent lockdowns took a toll on businesses and individuals alike, creating a climate ripe for protest against the ‘impractical’ and seemingly never-ending stringent measures.
In an apparent state of growing dissent, as China announced another state of emergency, the people continued to protest this extreme reaction. The economy plummeted into needless vulnerability as investors remained wary due to the regular clashes between police and demonstrators. Now, the murmurs of disapproval have turned into vociferous clamoring, demanding the resignation of Xi.
The White House, stepping into this tempest, has stressed the importance of the people’s right to peaceful protest – even in China. Murmurs from Biden’s National Security Council posited this freedom as a universal right, one that should be extended to the PRC. In an unanticipated show of support, the US government confirmed that they are not advocating for a zero COVID policy, putting them squarely at odds with China’s current approach.
Infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci added his perspective to the discourse, indicating that the excessive lockdown strategies may have been counterproductive. In his view, the critical demographic, namely the elderly, were not being adequately protected in these hyper-restrictive conditions.
What’s clear is that the rift widens in how the world’s largest powers perceive and respond to the ongoing pandemic. As China’s patience wears thin, so does its people’s tolerance for stringent lockdowns. But where this stark divide will lead us is unpredictable and unprecedented. For now, the eyes of the world are trained on China’s internal turmoil, waiting to see where this road will end.
