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China: Communist Party calls for crackdown on ‘enemy forces’ after unprecedented protests
China’s top security agency today called for “suppression” of “enemy forces” and more freedoms in China’s major cities after protests over health restrictions.
The ruling Communist Party’s Political and Judiciary Commission, which oversees law enforcement in the country, said it was “necessary to suppress the infiltration and sabotage activities of enemy forces under the law,” according to the minutes of the meeting released by the Chinese Xinhua News Agency.
Of crucial importance in the text is the “strict legal suppression of criminal acts that aim to overthrow the social order, but also the consistent protection of social stability”.
China’s zero-case-of-Covid policy, in place for nearly three years, has been the target of protests in several cities this weekend, the largest protest movement since the pro-democracy protests that were violently repressed in 1989.
This protest comes against a background of deep frustrations with the political system.
However, a large police force stationed in the country’s major cities appears to have beaten back the protesters today, according to AFP reporters in Beijing and Shanghai.
Unprecedented protests continue in China
A wave of anger has erupted in China in recent days following the authorities’ strict “zero-Covid” measures and strict censorship. Unprecedented protests have erupted in many Chinese cities against strict measures and testing for COVID-19, but also for curfews. Citizens are also expressing their anger at the Communist Party’s strict censorship and even stricter influence in all walks of life.
Slogans chanted by the protesters include “No Covid test, we’re hungry!”, “Xi Jinping, resign!”, “No to lockdowns, we want freedom” and anti-Chinese Communist Party slogans.
The wave of protests in China has roiled the markets, with stocks and the price of oil falling. The reason for the outbreak of the protests was the death of 10 people after a fire in a residential building in the city of Ürümqi in the Xinjiang region. The victims were reportedly unable to escape due to the building being locked down. It is also reported that firefighters were unable to approach the blaze as fire engines were blocked from checkpoints as part of the pandemic measures.
Some demonstrations broke up peacefully, others led to clashes with Chinese authorities.
Source: Iefimerida
https://www.iefimerida.gr/.
