2022 COVID-19 protests in China
A series of protests against COVID-19 lockdowns began in mainland China in November 2022.[6][4][7][8][9] Colloquially referred to as the White Paper Protests (Chinese: 白纸抗议; pinyin: Bái zhǐ kàngyì) or the A4 Revolution (Chinese: 白纸革命; pinyin: Bái zhǐ gémìng),[10][11] the demonstrations started 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. Discontent had grown since the beginning of the pandemic towards the policy, which confined many people to their homes without work and left some unable to purchase or receive daily necessities.[12][13]
2022 COVID-19 protests in China
2 November – 5 December 2022[1]
(1 month and 3 days)
- Chinese government response to COVID-19
- Zero-COVID policy
- Ürümqi fire
- Opposition to the Chinese Communist Party,[2][3] Xi Jinping and the country's deepening authoritarianism (factions)
- Internet censorship
- Censored 2022 FIFA World Cup broadcast
- Economic slowdown and lack of basic needs caused by lockdowns
- Workplace practices of Foxconn (factions)[4]
Protests, protest songs, demonstrations, riots, civil unrest, student activism, internet activism
Abandonment of the zero-COVID policy on 7 December 2022[5]
- Some protesters detained
- Images and videos of protests censored by the Chinese government
The demonstrations had been preceded by the Beijing Sitong Bridge protest on 13 October, wherein pro-democracy banners were displayed by an unnamed individual and later seized by local authorities. The incident was subsequently censored by state media and led to a widespread crackdown behind the Great Firewall.[14] Further small-scale protests inspired by the Sitong Bridge incident ensued in early November, before widespread civil unrest erupted following a 24 November building fire in Ürümqi that killed ten people, three months into a lockdown in Xinjiang.[15] Protesters across the nation demanded the end of the government's zero-COVID policy and lockdowns.[7]
The subjects in protest evolved throughout the course of the unrest, ranging from discontent with the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its general secretary Xi Jinping,[7][16] to inhumane working conditions brought on by the lockdowns, and human rights abuses against ethnic Uyghurs in Xinjiang.[17] The police had largely allowed such rallies to proceed, although officers had reportedly arrested several protesters in Shanghai.[18] There had also been reports of protesters being beaten and showered with pepper spray before detainment.[18][19][20][21] By early December, China pivoted away from many of its previous COVID restrictions by reducing testing, reducing lockdowns, and allowing people with mild infections to quarantine at home, effectively abandoning the zero-COVID policy.[22]
Early protests
Lanzhou
On 2 November, the death of a 3-year-old boy to a gas leak in Lanzhou, reportedly after a delay in receiving treatment due to movement restrictions, had triggered a wave of public anger. Videos on social media showed residents taking to the streets demanding answers from authorities and buses containing SWAT teams arriving at the scene.[33] Local authorities issued apologies the next day.[34]
Guangzhou
As lockdowns returned to Guangzhou starting on 5 November, residents of Haizhu District marched in the streets on the night of 15 November, breaking through metal barriers and demanding an end to the lockdown.[35] The Haizhu district is home to many migrant workers (Mingong) from outside the province, who were unable to find work and unable to have sustainable incomes during lockdowns. In videos spread online, residents also criticized hour-long queues for COVID testing, an inability to purchase fresh and affordable produce, and a lack of local government support.[36]
Zhengzhou Foxconn factory
In late October, Taiwanese electronics manufacturer Foxconn began preventing workers at its mega-factory in Zhengzhou from leaving the premises, concluding that this was the best way of fulfilling the government's dual mandate of preventing infections and maintaining economic activity.[4] Nevertheless, some workers managed to scale barriers and flee to their homes, threatening the continued operation of the plant.[37] In early November, videos spread of workers leaving the city by foot to return home in defiance of lockdown measures.[4] In response, in mid-November, local governments around the country urged veterans and retired civil servants to sign up as replacement labor, promising bonuses.[38][39] State media claimed that more than 100,000 people had signed up by 18 November.[40]
On the night of 22–23 November,[9] workers at a Foxconn factory clashed with security forces and police over poor pay and haphazard COVID restrictions.[4] Workers articulated their demands in videos spread across Chinese social media, claiming that Foxconn had failed to provide promised bonuses and salary packages. According to one worker, new recruits were told by Foxconn that they would receive the bonuses in March and May 2023, long after the Chinese Lunar New Year, when money was needed the most. Protesters also accused Foxconn of neglecting to separate workers who had tested positive from others, all while preventing them from leaving the factory campus because of quarantine measures. Law enforcement was filmed beating workers with batons and metal rods, while workers threw objects back and overturned police vehicles.[4][20] In response, Foxconn offered 10,000 yuan (approximately US$1,400) and a free ride home to workers who agreed to quit their jobs and leave the factory.[20][9]
Chongqing
In Chongqing, a man was filmed giving a speech in his residential compound on 24 November, loudly proclaiming in Chinese, "Give me liberty, or give me death!"[a] to the cheers and applause of the crowd. When law enforcement officials attempted to arrest him, the crowd fought off the police and pulled him away, although he was ultimately still detained.[41][42] The man was dubbed the "Chongqing superman-brother" (重庆超人哥) online. Quotes by him from the video were widely circulated despite censorship, such as, "there is only one disease in the world and that is being both poor and not having freedom [...] we have now got both", referring to both the lockdown and high food prices.[41]
Detentions
Some demonstrators were detained immediately following the protests while still others were detained in the weeks to follow, charged with "picking quarrels and provoking trouble". Although some individuals were released soon afterwards, or just in advance of the Lunar New Year, others remained in detention or were formally charged.[126]
One Chinese woman accused Chinese authorities of forcing some to sign blank arrest warrants and detaining them in secret locations.[127]
According to the Beijing police department contacted by the NPR, the detentions involved a "national security matter".[128] Universities from the UK, US, and Australia confirmed that former Chinese students from their institutions had been detained following the protests and Reporters Without Borders noted that four of the detainees were journalists.[129]
Publishing house editor Cao Zhixin was released on 19 April 2023, alongside three of her friends who had also participated in the protests, after four months of police custody following her December 2022 detention.[130]
Reactions
China
PRC Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said at a regular press conference on 28 November that, "On social media there are forces with ulterior motives that relate this fire with the local response to COVID-19",[131] and, "We believe that with the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party and support of the Chinese people, our fight against COVID-19 will be successful."[132] Regarding the case of BBC News journalist Edward Lawrence being assaulted and briefly detained in Shanghai, he stated that he was aware of the situation, but claimed it was caused by Lawrence's failure to identify himself properly.[64]
The Chinese government signaled plans to ease restrictions. On 30 November, vice premier Sun Chunlan announced that pandemic controls were entering a "new stage and mission", adding that the Omicron variant is less virulent and that rectification of control methods were underway. Sun said local governments should "respond to and resolve the reasonable demands of the masses".[133]
On 1 December, Xi commented to European Council president Charles Michel that he believes students frustrated by the prolonged strict COVID measures were behind the protests.[134]
On 7 December, Lu Shaye, China's ambassador to France, linked the protests to foreign forces, arguing that the real protests only took place on the first day and were then controlled by foreign forces to "trigger a color revolution" and that "white is also a color".[135][136]
