China health officials defend Covid-zero policy criticized by the public

China’s top health officials have vowed to adjust Covid-19 control measures to reduce its impact on people’s lives, while deflecting blame for public frustration from the policy itself, in their first news conference since protests erupted this weekend. against the government’s strict “Covid zero” policy.

Lockdowns to curb the spread of the virus must be lifted “as soon as possible” after outbreaks, health officials said at a National Health Commission press conference in Beijing on Tuesday, as they defended the policy direction. of the country – which aims to stop the spread of the virus through robust controls.

Cheng Youquan, director of China’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said “some problems” recently reported by the public were not due to the measures but to their enforcement by local authorities taking a “one size fits all approach”. He said that some controls were implemented “excessively”, without meeting the demands of the people.

Protests against the country’s Covid-zero policy, which includes a combination of lockdowns, enforced quarantines and strict border controls, exploded across China this weekend, with citizens taking to city streets and university campuses to call for an end to restrictive measures.

While protests in various parts of China appear to have dispersed peacefully, some have received a stronger response from authorities – and security has been beefed up in cities with police deployed to major protest sites after demonstrations.

Plan to increase vaccination rates for the elderly

Officials at Tuesday’s press conference did not directly address the protests, but commission spokesman Mi Feng said governments must “respond and resolve the reasonable demands of the masses” in a timely manner.

When asked if the government is reconsidering its Covid policies, Mi said the authorities “are studying and adjusting our pandemic containment measures to protect the interest of the people as much as possible and limit the impact on people as much as possible.”

Earlier this month, China announced 20 measures aimed at streamlining Covid-19 controls and curbing “excessive political measures” taken by local authorities – who are under pressure from Beijing to control the number of cases in their regions.

The protests – and pledges to refine policy implementation – come as the country faces its most significant increase in cases.

China identified 38,421 locally transmitted cases on Monday, according to the National Health Commission, ending six consecutive days of record infections.

Low vaccination rates among the elderly have long been cited by officials as a reason why China must maintain tight controls on the virus. This Tuesday, authorities also announced an “action plan” to increase vaccination rates among this high-risk group.

Raising that rate is seen as necessary to eventually reopen the country and relax tough measures.

As of Nov. 28, about 90% of China’s total population had received two doses of the Covid-19 vaccination, but only about 66% of people over 80 had completed two doses, officials said on Tuesday. .

China defends measures against Covid-19

Reactions to officials’ statements on Chinese social media suggested they had done little to assuage frustration and anger over the Covid-zero policy. In a state media livestream of the press conference, many users called for an end to mass testing for Covid and centralized quarantine.

“We have cooperated with you for three years, now it’s time to give back our freedom,” said one of the main comments of the live broadcast, carried by state media on social media platform Weibo.

“Can you stop filtering our comments? Listen to the people, the sky will not fall,” wrote another, referring to censorship on the platform.

In a separate briefing on Tuesday, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs defended Covid-19 control measures and civil rights in the country – where authorities regularly use far-reaching surveillance and security capabilities to quell dissent.

“China is a country under the rule of law, Chinese citizens enjoy various legal rights and freedoms that are fully protected by law,” said spokesman Zhao Lijian, when asked about the protests at a regular briefing on Tuesday. fair. “At the same time, any rights and freedoms must be exercised within the framework of the law.”

Asian stocks rose on Tuesday on signs that authorities had managed to contain the protests and then on hopes that the health commission would announce an easing of Covid restrictions.

Hong Kong’s benchmark Hang Seng index ended the day up more than 5%. In mainland China, the Shanghai Composite Index and Shenzhen Component Index ended up more than 2%, while the CSI300 index, which tracks the largest listed stocks, ended up more than 3%.