2022 COVID-19 protests in China

protests against the zero-COVID policy that erupted in 2022

A series of protests against COVID-19 lockdowns began in China on 15 November 2022. The protests are regarded as the largest nationwide anti-government rally in China since the Tiananmen protests in 1989.[1][2][3][4]

2022 COVID-19 protests in China
Part of democracy movements in China
Protesters march towards a local government building
  • Protesters marching towards the local government building following the 2022 Ürümqi fire
Date15 November 2022 – ongoing
Location
Caused by
  • Chinese government response to COVID-19
  • Zero-COVID policy
  • 2022 Ürümqi fire
  • Internet censorship and increasing government authoritarianism
  • Economic recession and lack of basic needs caused by lockdowns
  • Workplace practices of Foxconn
Goals
MethodsProtests, protest songs, demonstrations, riots, civil unrest, internet activism
Resulted inEasing of anti-COVID measures by some cities
Parties to the civil conflict
Protestors

Government of China

  • People's Police (China)

Introduction

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The protests began in response to measures taken by the Chinese government to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the country, including implementing a zero-COVID policy.[5][6]

Ssmall-scale protests began in early November, widespread civil unrest erupted following a deadly fire in Ürümqi that killed ten people. Protesters demanded the end of zero-COVID policy and the resignation of Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party. Xi Jinping was endorsed for an unprecedented third term as party general secretary weeks before the beginning of the widespread protests.[7]

References

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  1. Che, Chang; Liu, John (2022-11-16). "Covid Lockdown Chaos Sets Off a Rare Protest in a Chinese City". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2022-11-29. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
  2. "Protests in China Widespread, Largest Since 1989". Indonesia Posts English. 2022-11-28. Archived from the original on 2022-12-08. Retrieved 2022-11-30.
  3. "Xi's Zero-Covid Policy Sparks Largest Protests Since 1989". finance.yahoo.com. Archived from the original on 2023-01-17. Retrieved 2022-11-30.
  4. Bagshaw, Eryk (2022-11-28). "Three ways Xi could respond to the loudest wave of protests since 1989". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 2022-11-30. Retrieved 2022-11-30.
  5. "Xinjiang residents complain of hunger after 40-day COVID lockdown". Al Jazeera English. Archived from the original on 2023-03-10. Retrieved 2022-11-27.
  6. Jiang, Steven (2022-04-19). "Hunger and anger in Shanghai's unending lockdown nightmare". CNN. Archived from the original on 2023-01-28. Retrieved 2022-11-27.
  7. "China Covid: Protests continue in major cities across the country". BBC News. 2022-11-27. Archived from the original on 2023-01-17. Retrieved 2022-11-29.