Aggressive rallies in Guangzhou challenge authorities

• Residents of the industrial metropolis of Guangzhou in southern China have battled with authorities after breaking out of a mandatory lockdown out of frustration with the severe coronavirus restrictions.
• It follows Guangzhou’s worst Covid outbreak since the pandemic began.
• A series of changes announced last week slightly toning down the rules were seen as a sign that more easing was possible down the road. But even if the government is considering this, it may not be soon enough.

It comes after the worst Covid outbreak in Guangzhou since the pandemic started.

China’s zero Covid policy is under tremendous pressure in the face of poor economic data.

In the city’s Haizhu District, where residents are required to stay at home, tensions had been rising.

Many less fortunate nomadic labourers live in the region. They have expressed dissatisfaction with Covid control tactics, including not getting paid if they are unable to show up for work, food shortages, and soaring pricing.

They had been fighting with the white-clad Covid prevention enforcement agents for a number of nights when, overnight on Monday, a massive act of defiance caused the rage to abruptly spill onto the streets of Guangzhou.

Once more, unfounded rumours have been a factor. There are rumours circulating that testing companies are fabricating PCR findings to increase the number of infections artificially in order to increase revenue.

The coronavirus rumour mill is also gaining steam in the country’s north.

Hebei Province officials declared that Shijiazhuang would stop mass testing. However, this raised the possibility that the populace might be utilised as a test subject to determine what would happen if the virus was allowed to spread unchecked.

The majority of the street-side testing booths in Beijing’s Chaoyang district will be shut down and relocated within housing estates as of this week’s first day. The amount of PCR stations dropped abruptly. The issue is that many office buildings demand a daily outcome before allowing in.

As a result, there were lengthy lines at the booths that were open.

Zero-Covid is having difficulties, from the Tibetan labourers who are unable to leave Lhasa to the lockdown of the entire Xinjiang province.

A series of adjustments made last week that loosened the regulations just a little bit were interpreted as a precursor to future relaxing. Even if the government is taking this into consideration, it might not be soon enough.