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China - Public health threat as COVID-19 protests grow and spread - November 26+ freezing weather & heavy police presence

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  • #16


    BBC News 中文

    @bbcchinese
    2022年11月27日晚间,估计数百名示威者聚集在中国于伦敦的驻英大使馆外声援中国的反封控抗议。
    Translated from Chinese by
    On the evening of November 27, 2022, it is estimated that hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside the Chinese embassy in London to support China's anti-blockade protest.

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------



    Edward Lawrence

    @EP_Lawrence
    ·
    57m
    Wulumuqi Road, the sight of protests and clashes over the past few days, now fenced up. Heavy police and security presence. People who take photos are being stopped by police and forced to delete. Two people taken away for refusing to. #shanghai #china
    0:51
    17.8K views

    Comment


    • #17


      Selina Wang

      @selinawangtv
      ·
      15h
      Spoke to a protester last night in Beijing who said he motorcycled & biked more than an hour to get to the scene. I asked him how he was feeling: “Overwhelmed…All conscientious Chinese people should come here and stand together” Speaks volumes that he spoke to me maskless
      @cnn

      Comment


      • #18
        China Covid: Police clamp down after days of protests
        • Published
          3 hours ago

        By Yvette Tan & Emily McGarvey
        BBC News, Singapore and London

        China's protests against Covid restrictions which erupted over the weekend appear to have died down, as authorities begin clamping down.

        A heavy police presence has been reported in several cities, and some gatherings were quelled or failed to materialise.

        Reports have emerged of people being questioned and their phones searched.

        But overseas Chinese have continued protesting, in at least a dozen cities across the world.


        more...

        People who attended protests against Covid rules say the police want to know their whereabouts.

        Comment


        • #19

          Too cold to be outside. Below freezing.

          Beijing, Beijing, China Today, Tonight & Tomorrow's Weather ...

          https://www.accuweather.com › weather-forecast
          Beijing, Beijing ; Current Weather. 8:53 AM. 21°F · RealFeel® 5° ; TODAY'S WEATHER FORECAST. 11/29. 27°Hi. RealFeel® 8° ; TONIGHT'S WEATHER FORECAST. 11/29. 18°Lo.

          Comment


          • #20
            Defending the zero-COVID policy rule again and why China can not "lie down".


            Zhejiang Propaganda: "People First" Not "Epidemic Prevention First"


            November 29, 2022 at 15:36




              Source: Zhejiang Propaganda
              Since the outbreak of the new crown pneumonia epidemic at the end of 2019, nearly three years have passed. As the epidemic prevention and control time prolongs, many people's psychological endurance and tolerance have been tested, and they are even being lost bit by bit. Just as some netizens said: If the first year is panic, with a little joy, you can take a good rest at home; the second year is confused, looking forward to the end of the epidemic soon; It's a head.
              In addition, recently, in the name of epidemic prevention, some places have "increased the scale" to abuse power and embarrass the masses, causing the epidemic prevention to be deformed and out of shape. People's livelihood demands, interrupting the normal production and living order at will, and even disregarding the lives and safety of the masses, ruining the image of the party and the government and hurting the hearts of the masses. There are even some people who take the opportunity to make money from the epidemic. Compared with the epidemic, these phenomena are stinging. The ensuing helplessness, boredom and even anger are understandable.
              Epidemic prevention and control is to prevent viruses, not to prevent people; there has always been "people first", and there is no so-called "epidemic prevention first". No matter what kind of prevention and control measures are taken, they should be to allow society to return to normal as soon as possible and life to return to the right track as soon as possible. All options are our "bridge" and "ship" to this goal, rather than simply defending people and acting recklessly regardless of cost.
            one

              During this period of time, the World Cup in Qatar is in full swing. The crowd in the auditorium does not wear masks and revels recklessly, which seems to be no different from before the epidemic. Someone asked: "Many countries in the world are now doing business as usual. Isn't it possible to 'lie down'? They can 'let go', why can't we?"
              To answer this question, let's look at a few sets of data:
              Let’s look at the confirmed cases first. As of now, there are 636 million confirmed cases of new crowns in the world, and more than 6.6 million deaths. In the last day, there were 230,000 new confirmed cases and 428 deaths. Among them, Japan has a population of 126 million, with a daily increase of 98,000 confirmed cases; South Korea has a population of more than 50 million, with a daily increase of 47,000 confirmed cases.
              Looking at medical resources again, this year China has 6.7 medical beds per 1,000 population, while in 2020, South Korea has 12.65, Japan 12.63, and Germany 7.82; in 2020, my country has 4.5 ICU beds per 100,000 people, while Germany has 28.2. The United States has 21.6, France 16.4, Japan 13.8, and the global average of 10. At the beginning of this year, critically ill patients with COVID-19 occupied 32.7% of the total ICU capacity in the United States, and about 7 ICU beds per 100,000 people were occupied by critically ill patients with COVID-19, exceeding the total number of ICU beds per 100,000 people in my country.
              Finally, look at "one old and one young". As of the end of 2021, my country's population aged 60 and over will reach 267 million, and the population of children will exceed 250 million. The "one old and one young" group has a large scale. According to the latest data from Singapore, the infection mortality rates of elderly people aged 60-69, 70-79, and 80 years old with vaccine protection are 0.014%, 0.064%, and 0.54% respectively; the infection mortality rates of elderly people in the three age groups without vaccine protection are respectively It is 0.19%, 0.29% and 2.5%. In my country, there are about 22.64 million, 16.16 million, and 14 million elderly people in the three age groups who have not completed vaccination. If it is completely liberalized now, based on Singapore's infection death rate estimates, the death toll of the elderly over 60 years old in my country will reach about 600,000.
              Although the number of deaths is a cold number, it ultimately falls on every family. Just ask, can we accept the reality of the departure of people around us? Obviously unacceptable. Because China's social system, historical culture, values ​​and ethics do not allow us to watch our parents, grandparents and children face the threat of death without doing anything and just give up. For example, in some countries in the West, hundreds of people died in a nursing home due to the epidemic. If this kind of thing happened in our country, I believe it would be unacceptable. Understand this, and understand our country's efforts to control the epidemic.
              According to a paper published in The Lancet, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the global excess death rate was estimated to be 18.2 million, and the excess death rate was 120.3 per 100,000 people; the excess death rate in the United States was 179.3 per 100,000 people ; China's excess mortality rate is only 0.6 per 100,000 people.
              You can't just talk about the result, not the process. Today's "business as usual" in Western countries is actually based on the loss of lives and the breakdown of families. The latest data shows that the number of deaths from the new crown epidemic in Europe has exceeded 2 million, and the United States has nearly 1.08 million, making it the country with the largest number of deaths due to the new crown epidemic in the world.
              According to statistics from Johns Hopkins University in the United States, as of 6:21 on November 28, Beijing time, the cumulative number of new coronary pneumonia infections in the United States reached 98,568,849, and the cumulative number of deaths reached 1,079,197. Source: Observer.com

              Envying the freedom and carnival of Western countries, but ignoring the painful price they paid, is selective forgetting; talking about the "control" and "release" of the epidemic is a utopian proposition out of China's national conditions and development reality.
              If we compare the epidemic to a turbulent river, in order to reach the other side, some countries choose to go into the water naked, the survival of the fittest, and acquiescence to some people as victims; while China chooses to help each other and overcome difficulties together, using a large ship as much as possible to give everyone a chance to survive. When the big boat is struggling and is gradually approaching the opposite bank, if you blindly envy those swimmers who have already landed and swim across the river, instead of making concerted efforts to row the boat and choose to jump off the boat rashly, many previous efforts may be in vain.
              
            two

              The path China has chosen to fight the epidemic has been different from Western countries from the very beginning. The logic that runs through it is "people-oriented, seeking truth from facts, and adapting to current conditions."
              I remember that from the end of 2019 to the beginning of 2020, the new crown epidemic was fierce. When the virus was at its strongest, we dug deep trenches, decisively closed the passage from Han to Hubei, and launched a comprehensive defense war in Wuhan and Hubei, curbing the spread of the epidemic in a short period of time. As the number of new local cases has gradually dropped to single digits, we have assessed the situation, coordinated epidemic prevention and control and economic and social development, and promoted the resumption of work and production in an orderly manner, making my country the first to achieve economic growth from negative to positive, becoming the only one in the world to achieve positive economic growth major economies.
              Then, as the virus offensive weakened and domestic epidemics spread sporadically, we imported foreign defenses and rebounded internal defenses, adopted a normalized prevention and control strategy, concentrated superior forces to defeat them one by one, and handed over a brilliant report card for epidemic prevention and control and economic development. .
              Today, facing the gradual weakening of virus toxicity and changes in transmission characteristics, we insist on "dynamic clearing", put more emphasis on "scientific precision", formulate and implement the ninth edition of the prevention and control plan, and introduce 20 measures to optimize epidemic prevention and control, and continue to iterate Prevention and control measures.
              Every adjustment is based on objective laws, seeking the optimal solution in multi-objective balance.
              As a country with a population of more than 1.4 billion, the cumulative death toll from the epidemic in the mainland is more than 5,200. In 2021, my country's GDP will grow by 8.1%, and the average growth rate in 2020 and 2021 will be 5.1%, making it a top student in major economies.
              We use China's institutional advantages and resource allocation methods to do our best to preserve people's lives and save millions of lives while promoting economic and social development. This is a great achievement that can stand the test of history.
            Mobile nucleic acid "sampling hut" in Tongxiang City

              
            three

              Recently, in the process of implementing "dynamic clearing" in some places, due to problems of understanding, ability, methods and methods, and even the interests behind it, the prevention and control policies have gone astray, deformed, and out of shape. There are even tragedies that shouldn't have happened in some places.
              There is no "one game of chess" for policy control. Some places have different interpretations of the general policy of "dynamic clearing" set by the central government and 20 measures to optimize prevention and control, which greatly reduces the authority of the central policy. In the eyes of some people, the prevention and control of the epidemic is just to manage their own "small ponds", not to jointly manage the flowing "big river". That's why "liquidity management" comes out, "I'm in charge of the flow, you're in charge of the management."
              Policy implementation "sitting on a seesaw". Regarding the implementation of the latest optimization and adjustment of epidemic prevention and control, it is dangerous to hesitate or slip through the end. In some places, after "slamming on the accelerator", "shifting gears and stalling", and finally "stepping back two steps", seriously damaged the masses' desire for stable expectations. In some places, it is either "sealed" or "let it go". There is no organized "combination" on how to take small steps without stopping, how to make prevention and control more scientific and precise, and how to allocate resources more reasonably and effectively. fist".
              "Epidemic prevention first" replaces "people first". In some places, in the name of epidemic prevention, people's livelihood and economy are underestimated, and people's lives are underestimated. What's more, in the implementation of policies, "only the new crown is a disease, and other diseases are irrelevant", distorting the concept of "life first". Some have "intensified" the epidemic prevention, have no laws and rules in their eyes, and even come up with various tricks to "deal with" the masses, chilling the hearts of the people.
              The existence of these problems cannot be ignored, but it is not realistic to attribute it to the "dynamic zeroing" policy at every turn. The current epidemic prevention and control is more like a balance of "interests and interests". Not only must we have a mind that understands people's livelihood accounts, political accounts, and economic accounts, but also requires the realization of an "optimal solution" in a multi-objective balance. How to adhere to the general policy of "dynamic clearing", focus on phased goals, highlight scientific precision, and ensure that policies are not out of shape or deformed, will test the governance capabilities of party committees and governments at all levels, as well as the wisdom and responsibility of party members and cadres.
              Of course, for us ordinary people, we cannot completely deny our epidemic prevention and control policies and deny the general policy of "dynamic zeroing" just because some places have deviated from the implementation of epidemic prevention and control policies, are unscientific and inaccurate. The policy is unreasonable. It only sees the small logic of one moment and one place and ignores the big logic of epidemic prevention and control. In response to the lack of ability and work style of individual epidemic prevention staff exposed during the epidemic prevention and control work, we must point it out and urge them to make corrections, but we cannot generalize and think that all epidemic prevention personnel are bad, or even think that they are not good enough. It is standing on the opposite side of the masses. What’s more, you can’t embellish yourself with fake news, make false news without going to the scene, and lack any basis, but use spliced ​​videos and pictures to create and spread false news, lest the world will not be chaotic.
              
            Four

              Getting out of the haze of the epidemic is not something that can be solved by saying "let it go" or "don't let it go". Arguments will not automatically solve problems. The most important thing is to start from each specific link, quickly improve the ability to discover and deal with problems, and strive to manage them well in a soft landing. This is what we should strive for.
              Why can't the virus be "let go" immediately when the lethality rate of the virus is low? Take vaccination as an example. In my country, the booster vaccination rate of the elderly over 80 years old is only 40%, the vaccination rate of children is not very high, and the overall immunity level of the whole people is not high. Once a large-scale infection occurs, our medical resources may also face the risk of being instantly broken down. At this time, instead of entangled in "release" or "hold", it is better to raise our vaccine level first, prepare our medicines more fully, build more intensive care beds for us, and have "mines" at home , With "food" in hand, you will not panic in the face of any potential risks.
              Why are there "one size fits all" and "layer by layer"? Sometimes, what seems to be an innovative move is actually a policy increase; it does not seem to be "one size fits all", but actually creates a concept to implement "one size fits all". In the final analysis, the awareness of seeking truth from facts is too weak, the spirit of taking responsibility is too weak, and the ability to act according to the times is too weak. Every decision and every measure is carefully studied and judged. When it comes to implementation, it is even more important to establish a people-oriented orientation, to seriously hold accountable for ineffective epidemic prevention, and to resolutely question those "layered overweight" Let them all become "street rats".
              Why do some places seem to work hard to prevent the epidemic, but in fact it is "difficult"? There are "codes" in some places, but they don't work. It looks like big data screening, but in fact it is still operated by people; different provinces, cities and even counties are developing their own "codes". You have to change the size to make people feel "tired and unloved". It is necessary to truly unify the health code standards across the country as soon as possible, connect the results of nucleic acid testing across the country, and quickly replicate and promote the experience of sophisticated intelligent control in advanced areas to more places, "innovating in one place and using it nationwide." The so-called territorialization, administrativeization, and even interest groups should not be allowed to hinder the promotion and popularization of technical experience. Instead, we must try our best to make data flow more, viruses less, and ordinary people less troubled.
              Why do we sometimes not say what should be said, but the "right thing" can't be said or understood? Some party members and cadres are weak in their ability to carry out work under the spotlight. They either blindly avoid and dodge the concerns of the masses, or they say a lot at the press conference, but the results are not what the masses want to hear and ordinary people can understand. It is necessary to expose those who evade their responsibilities and should not speak up, expel those who can't speak well and can't speak from the press booth quickly, and those who are qualified to speak well and speak clearly and accurately Please come up more, give people more certainty in the uncertainty, and let the authoritative and professional voice stand up.



              Behind each capability, there is a common value consideration, that is, people first and life first. The voices and demands of the public have always been the basis for us to adjust and optimize our anti-epidemic policies. There is only one purpose in the fight against the epidemic, and that is to benefit the people and protect everyone's health and safety. Grasping this point, our steps will not be chaotic, and our actions will not be sideways.
              With the development of the epidemic to the present, prevention and control is no longer a "blind box". Any adjustment is actually an iteration of policies and optimization of prevention and control. It is a step closer to success. It is not self-abandonment or self-denial, and should not follow the rules and set limits on oneself. For us, epidemic prevention and control is like sailing a big ship, slowing down, stalling, or turning sharply. Because of this, the prevention and control plan has been iterated from the first edition to the current ninth edition. Along this direction, I believe there will be more accurate tenth and eleventh editions...
              The construction of the "big ship" for epidemic prevention and control will eventually carry more than 1.4 billion people to the other side. When the boat goes to the turbulent place, it needs more attention. We must believe that we will not drift forever. As long as we are united, our pace is steady, and our rhythm is not chaotic, we will be able to disembark safely in the not-too-distant future.




            zhttps://news.sina.com.cn/s/2022-11-29/doc-imqmmthc6420101.shtml#/

            Comment


            • #21
              Originally posted by sharon sanders View Post
              Watching some more of the "reliable" videos from the COVID-19 protests in China. (What is reliable anyway these days?)

              These protestors literally risk everything. I am afraid that there are not enough of them. The government can easily "take care of" the numbers that I am seeing. There needs to be millions in the streets to stop the government from employing their usual tactics. imho.



              BBC News Press Team

              @BBCNewsPR
              BBC Statement on Ed Lawrence

              ALT
              5:52 PM · Nov 27, 2022·TweetDeck

              ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


              Leo Lord-Jones

              @leolordjones
              Just seen police dragging random people away from the crossroads where protests first started in Shanghai. All happening now
              0:06
              4,373 views
              10:34 PM · Nov 27, 2022·Twitter for iPhone
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              Leo Lord-Jones

              @leolordjones
              ·
              38m
              Replying to
              @leolordjones
              Police seemed to suddenly move in numbers to pick random people out from the crosswalk. Couldn’t see them do anything to prompt the police to arrest them
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              Leo Lord-Jones

              @leolordjones
              ·
              31m
              Police have put up high barriers on all the roads leading to the crossing. Could make things extremely dangerous if police decide to kettle protestors here
              572 views
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              China denies. Too bad for them there are such things as video cameras.


              The Ministry of Foreign Affairs refuted the "BBC reporter was beaten in Shanghai", Zhao Lijian repeatedly asked the British side
              November 29, 2022 16:16 Beijing Daily client
              38
                Beijing Daily Client | Reporter Liu Liu

                On November 29, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian presided over a regular press conference.

                Question from Agence France-Presse: On November 28, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak accused China of its anti-epidemic policies, including beating and arresting a BBC reporter. What is China's comment?

              Source: Ministry of Foreign AffairsSource: Ministry of Foreign Affairs
                Zhao Lijian said that the relevant British remarks disregarded facts, turned black and white, and grossly interfered in China's internal affairs. China firmly opposes this.

                "Yesterday, I gave a preliminary introduction to the relevant situation. According to what I learned from Shanghai, the relevant facts are as follows." Zhao Lijian introduced that on the evening of the 27th, in order to maintain social order, the Shanghai police legally persuaded people to leave the scene at a certain intersection. A BBC correspondent in Shanghai. When the police clearly informed the reporter that they were about to persuade the people at the scene to leave, the reporter refused to leave and had not identified himself as a reporter to the police, so the police took him away forcibly and carried out necessary identification After verification and legal notification, please leave by yourself. Relevant procedures are carried out entirely within the framework of laws and regulations.

                Zhao Lijian pointed out that the BBC reporter refused to cooperate with the police in the process of law enforcement, but acted like a victim. The BBC immediately distorted the facts and hyped up the so-called "arrest and beating" of the BBC reporter by the police at work. Dirty water was poured on China, which is obviously in line with the BBC's usual style of maliciously touching China.

                Zhao Lijian emphasized that foreign journalists enjoy the right to report in China according to law, and they must also abide by Chinese laws and regulations. When reporting, you should show your press card in advance, and you are not allowed to engage in activities that are inconsistent with your identity as a reporter. This is no exception for any media, and has nothing to do with the so-called freedom of the press.

                Zhao Lijian said that there are many foreign media in China. Why does the BBC make problems on the spot every time?

                First, how does the British government treat domestic protesters?

                In 2020, a demonstration against anti-epidemic blockade measures broke out in London, and the British police arrested more than 150 people. In 2021, during a large-scale demonstration against the government's policy of cutting public expenditures, the British police arrested more than 200 people. From the public video materials, it can be seen that several British policemen surrounded the unarmed protesters, punched and kicked them, beat them, let them cry and beg, and were even naked, unmoved.

                Second, how does the British government treat journalists?


                You should not have forgotten that a few years ago, a Chinese journalist was obstructed in every possible way, even physically assaulted, for exercising his legitimate right to ask questions and express his views at the annual meeting of the British Conservative Party, and was finally convicted by a British court . British journalist Graham Phillips has become the first British citizen to be sanctioned by his own government simply for creating content inappropriate for Western reporting.

                Third, how does the BBC report on China?

                From underworld filters to distorted reports on Xinjiang and Hong Kong, many people are deeply impressed by the black history of the BBC maliciously smearing and attacking China. Since 2019, the BBC has ignored the atrocities of the thugs in its Hong Kong-related reports, but accused the Hong Kong police of violent law enforcement. On Xinjiang-related reports, BBC reporters in Beijing only used a few non-real satellite images and the so-called reports of anti-China people to concoct the lies of the century and wantonly attack and smear Xinjiang. In the report on the epidemic, the video of the road anti-terrorism exercise was even used as evidence of China's violent epidemic prevention.

                "Why does the BBC always appear on various scenes? Are BBC reporters reporting news or making news? The British side should respect facts, be cautious in words and deeds, put away hypocritical double standards, and stop playing with double standards." Zhao Lijian said .

              zhttps://news.sina.com.cn/c/2022-11-29/doc-imqmmthc6424412.shtml#/

              Comment


              • #22

                William Yang

                @WilliamYang120
                On
                @BBCWorld
                today, I talked about the increased police presence seen in major cities across #China since yesterday and how authorities have now stepped up their surveillance against citizens. People with Telegram and Twitter on their phones have to leave info with police.
                1:35
                2,779 views
                4:04 AM · Nov 29, 2022·Twitter for iPhone
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                William Yang

                @WilliamYang120
                ·
                1h
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                @WilliamYang120
                So far, there are limited signs in terms of how far #Beijing will go with its response. They are trying to disrupt the flow of information and limiting access to protest sites. Whether the response will further escalate may depend on the level of threat that authorities feel.
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                William Yang

                @WilliamYang120
                ·
                1h
                Many protesters have talked about losing their jobs during interviews with me and economic data from #China in recent months clearly show the zero-covid strategy is negatively affecting the world’s largest economy.
                519 views
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                William Yang

                @WilliamYang120
                ·
                1h
                Beijing faces a dilemma of prioritizing its political legitimacy or addressing the public grievances and mounting economic challenges.

                Comment


                • #23

                  Crowds in major Chinese city Guangzhou clash with riot police in hazmat suits over zero-COVID policy


                  One video posted online shows objects being thrown at riot police in all-white pandemic gear, holding shields over their heads, as they advance in formation over torn down lockdown barriers. Another clip shows a tear gas canister landing in the middle of a crowd.

                  Wednesday 30 November 2022 14:01, UK

                  One video posted online shows objects being thrown at riot police in all-white pandemic gear, holding shields over their heads, as they advance in formation over torn down lockdown barriers. Another clip shows a tear gas canister landing in the middle of a crowd.

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