China signals no change to zero-Covid-19 policy despite mass protests

State media stresses unwavering persistence to the end’ amid wave of discontent

- Danson Cheong China Correspondent

BEIJING - China has signalled that it will stick with its longstanding zero-Covid-19 policy despite mass demonstrations breaking out across the country over its harsh containment measures, with some protesters openly calling for the resignation of President Xi Jinping.

The unprecedented wave of protests spread to Shanghai as well as universities in some cities, including Beijing and Nanjing.

And in a rare instance of public protest against the Chinese leadership, a video showed a group shouting: "Down with the Communist Party, down with Xi Jinping!" In a front-page editorial on Sunday, the Communist Party's official People's Daily said China would "unwaveringly persist" in its Covid-19 policies and that "victory will be attained only by persisting to the end".

The editorial emphasised correcting wrong attitudes, including "underestimating the problem, indifference and self-righteousness".

The article said: "Our prevention and control policies can stand the test of history... (and they) are scientific and effective... There is no doubt about this, and we should have full confidence in this." But after almost three years of the pandemic, many Chinese are fed up with Covid-19 policies which have battered the economy and left many cooped up at home.

Since late last week, mass demonstrations have broken out in major cities, including Shanghai, Beijing, Nanjing, Wuhan, Urumqi and others.