The protests that have erupted across China show that the country’s populace prioritizes freedom of movement and assembly over draconian pandemic restrictions. While the government has resisted loosening its strict zero-COVID regime, civil unrest may force it to change course.
NEW YORK – The anti-quarantine protests that erupted across China last month highlight the gulf between the Chinese people and Communist Party leaders regarding the necessity of the strict zero-COVID policy. Given the obvious disconnect, it is worth examining how and why the authorities and the public have grown so far apart in their assessment of the policy’s costs and benefits.
NEW YORK – The anti-quarantine protests that erupted across China last month highlight the gulf between the Chinese people and Communist Party leaders regarding the necessity of the strict zero-COVID policy. Given the obvious disconnect, it is worth examining how and why the authorities and the public have grown so far apart in their assessment of the policy’s costs and benefits.