China plans crackdown on ‘hostile forces’ amidst anti-zero Covid protests
HY News
30 November, 2022 11:56 am IST
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China has sent university students home and flooded streets with police in an attempt to disperse the most widespread anti-government protests in decades, as the country’s top security body called for a crackdown on “hostile forces”.
In an apparent effort to tackle anger at the zero-Covid policies that originally sparked the protests, authorities also announced plans to step up vaccination of older people.
Meanwhile the country's health officials say lockdowns should be "imposed and eased quickly".
China has recorded record numbers of new cases in recent days. It is the only major economy with a zero-Covid policy, with local authorities clamping down on even small outbreaks with mass testing, quarantines and snap lockdowns.
The anti-zero Covid protests in the last few days in several Chinese cities, including Shanghai and Beijing, which turned political with calls for Xi to step down showed signs of abetment with no demonstrations reported as police stepped up crackdown with visits to homes of protestors in different places.
In the meantime, China said it will take steps to "minimise" the impact of its draconian coronavirus lockdowns, amidst the unprecedented public protests against stringent zero-COVID policy.
Quoting Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian, news agency PTI reported that China has been adjusting the zero-Covid policy based on the changing circumstances."We will keep improving science-based maximum protection to people's lives and health and minimise the Covid impact on social economic development," he said.
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