Protests in the totalitarian country of China have erupted in recent weeks, causing turmoil in the country. These protests are the biggest since the Tiananmen Square protests and massacre in 1989, nearly 35 years ago. Protesters in China are upset with the “zero-covid” policy that the government has forced upon Chinese citizens. This policy began with its initial lockdown of Wuhan in 2019 and has remained constant ever since. The “zero-covid” policy entails many harsh methods that come with harsh penalties if broken. One of the major methods is through strict, complete lockdowns when only a few coronavirus cases are detected. Another severe policy China has in place is forcing people into quarantine camps when there is a possibility of exposure or in travel-related instances. These methods have caused less people to get covid, but this means more people are not immune to getting it, dragging out the pandemic. This policy of zero-covid is unlike any other such policy around the world.
Many other countries are having less problems with coronavirus now and even some leaders have declared the end of the pandemic, such as US President Joe Biden. Back in September, President Biden declared, “the pandemic is over.” Some health experts said that declaration was too early, but the mood in the United States is that people are over the coronavirus and ready to return to pre-pandemic activities. In China, people have had no choice but to isolate themselves when forced to by the government. It is clear that after nearly three years of quarantining and masking, the Chinese people are sick and tired of the pandemic and are ready to move on, like the rest of the world. Rare protests across the country have resulted in the government making major changes to its policy just as the country faces its biggest wave of infections at over 30,000 cases a day.
Some of the major changes taking place in China after the protests include limiting the amount of covid testing. There will no longer be mass testing and the “high risk” category will only be limited to buildings, floors, and units instead of whole neighbors or cities. Another change is in regard to quarantining: people with symptoms are no longer forced to stay in isolation facilities and hospitals and can stay in their homes if they have symptoms or tested positive. Another change comes with coronavirus vaccines. China has developed their own vaccines made just for the Chinese people and has not been used outside the country. Western experts have doubted the efficacy of the vaccines as China has closed off their testing from countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, France, and global organizations such as WHO (World Health Organization).
China has had a history of totalitarianism. The Chinese influence is growing in the world and their zero-covid policy has been a symbol of dominance. It has sparked power-hungry leaders in the world such as Vladimir Putin to enact similar policies in order to control their population for the leaders’ gain. These protests against the zero-covid policy are a lot more than just about a pandemic policy. These protests symbolize a larger movement in China against totalitarianism and “President” Xi Jinping who has used a variety of tactics to quiet the Chinese people from speaking out and using their voice. Viral footage shown around the world has come out of China showing government officials in hazmat suits separating families because they were in close contact with someone who tested positive for the coronavirus. The zero-covid policy has come under fire from health experts around the world for simply dragging the pandemic on in China and making the constant quarantining seem nonstop.
The rare protests sparking up across China have already made changes to the zero-covid policy, as outlined above. The hope is that Chinese citizens are getting closer and closer to going back to pre-pandemic lives, like the rest of the world has been in for the past year. While the country still has a long way to go in giving more people freedom, this is an example of how protests can be used for the better, even in a totalitarian country like China.
