The image of China’s zero covid policy is cracking
Since the outbreak of the coronavirus, the Communist Party has conveyed the image of the zero-covid policy as a success story in relation to how the rest of the world handled the spread of infection. But in parallel with the infectious Omikron variant beginning to spread at the beginning of the year, the image of China’s strategy began to crack. When Omikron reached China’s largest city and financial center, Shanghai, an extremely harsh and long lockdown was imposed, laying the groundwork for growing dissatisfaction with the zero covid policy.
Protests gain momentum after tragedy in Ürümqi
After a fire in a residential building in Ürümqi in Xinjiang, where witnesses speak of doors being padlocked and blocked in the wake of the covid policy, protests erupted in several parts of China. One of the loudest protests was held in Shanghai, Conflict gets unique voices from inside the protest, where one of the loudest protesters was arrested by police.
Regime critics and former protest leaders in exile feel hope
“It feels like a revolution,” says Zhou Fengsuo, who co-led the protests at Tiananmen Square in 1989. Nathan Law, who was prominent in the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, points to the importance of the protesters being tech-savvy in order to evade censorship and stay alive in the opposition to Xi Jinping and the Communist Party. But he also knows that there is a cost to standing up against the regime, his own story is proof of that.
Uighurs in Sweden hope that the oppression of the Uighurs will not be forgotten
Conflict hits Ahmed Tursun in Sweden, whose sister lived in the apartment building that caught fire in Ürümqi and which became the spark that ignited the protests. Uighurs in Sweden hope that the Uighurs are not forgotten when Chinese in other regions demand more freedom.
In Beijing, few dare to talk about the protests
When the radio correspondent tries to talk to Beijingers about the protests, most are very cautious. There is some dissatisfaction with the zero covid policy, but also understanding.
Cast: Zhou Fengsuoone of the leaders of the protests at Heavenly Peace Square, Nathan Lawregime critic from Hong Kong in exile, Björn CappelinForeign Policy Institute, “Thomas”protester arrested in Shanghai, Ahmed TursunUighur whose sister lived in the apartment building that caught fire in Ürümqi, Nijat TurcunPresident of the Uyghur Education Association, “Amina”Uighur in Sweden, Peking resident etc
Host: Robin Olin
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Reporters: Fernando Arias, Lotten Collin, Hanna Sahlberg, Björn Djurberg, Simon Leplâtre
Technician: Jacob Gustavsson
Producer: Anja Sahlberg
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Source: ICELAND NEWS