This weekend, President Xi Jinping, China’s most influential figure in decades, gets a chance to install more allies who share his vision of an even more dominant role in the economy for the ruling Communist Party and tighter control over entrepreneurs at a party meeting, where he is expected to be elected to an unprecedented third term in office.
However, there is a fly in the ointment: A protest -- extremely rare in China -- attacking President Xi Jinping and China's Covid restrictions has taken place in Beijing, days before the historic Communist Party congress.
On Thursday, at least half a dozen photos and videos emerged on social media, showing two banners emblazoned with protest messages hanging from an overpass of a major thoroughfare in the north-west corner of the Chinese capital. The photos show thick plumes of smoke billowing from the bridge.
Shanghai residents, who endured an arduous two-month lockdown this year, have reported sudden snap lockdowns across the city this week with several schools moving to online classes.
At least 46 residential buildings or neighbourhoods had been designated medium risk and one high risk, across 14 of Shanghai’s 16 districts, a local media outlet reported. Several districts have also shut down entertainment and sporting venues, and all new arrivals must get tested within 24 hours, authorities said on Sunday.
This all happened while Shanghai reported a grand total of three locally transmitted cases and 44 asymptomatic cases on Wednesday -- an indication of just how determined and stubborn Beijing is in regards to its 'Zero Covid' policy.
While, the policy was successful throughout much of the pandemic, it has been challenged by the high transmissibility of newer variants, and the threat of sudden lockdowns and travel restrictions have begun to chafe with citizens.
There has been an outpouring of anger online at strict security measures and the Covid restrictions put in place. In China -- which has seen its economy suffer from a strict zero-Covid policy involving tight border controls, snap lockdowns and mandatory quarantines -- there appears to be no end in sight to the restrictions, despite mounting public frustration.
Economic growth slid to 2.2% over a year earlier in the first six months of 2022, less than half the official target, sapped by a crackdown on debt in China’s vast real estate industry and repeated shutdowns of major cities to fight virus outbreaks.
Hopes that Beijing might relax its policies after the much-anticipated Communist Party Congress later this month fell after the state-run People's Daily on Tuesday described the approach as the "best choice."
"At times like this, we need to realize that 'dynamic zero-Covid' is sustainable and must be followed," it said in a commentary, pointing to ongoing outbreaks in the country.
