Antony Blinken defended the right of disaffected people to demonstrate and suggested that the Chinese government seek to satisfy the needs of the population
Antony Blinken criticized the Chinese government’s crackdown on popular demonstrations
Secretary of State for United StatesAntony Blinken classified that the repression of China protests against the ‘Covid Zero’ policy in the country demonstrates a “sign of weakness” of the communist regime. In a statement made this Wednesday, 30, during the NATO Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held at the Palace of Parliament in Romania, he considered that all citizens have the right to “publicly express their frustration”. “In any country where we see this happening and the government taking massive repressive measures to stop it, that is not a sign of strength. It’s a sign of weakness.” With a trip to China planned next year, Blinken declined to comment on whether the protests affect Chinese nation President Xi Jinping. He assessed that the United States would not adopt practices similar to China’s “Covid zero” policy, which was the initial trigger for the protests, and stressed that the country preferred to bet on vaccines, tests and the treatment of the disease. “China has to figure out how to advance in the treatment of the coronavirus in order to respond to health needs, but also to the needs of the people”, he pondered. Since the weekend, the Chinese have taken to the streets of several cities in the country to protest the zero covid policy that has been present for almost three years. Extremely strict measures were applied by President Xi Jinping as a way to protect the country, however, China, today, is the last major world economy that continues to apply a tough strategy against the coronavirus. The result, which has already had an effect on the country and will see it end the year with a GDP growth below the 5.5% target, the lowest ever recorded in a decade, caused revolt in the population, which in recent days has begun to call for Xi Jinping’s resignation. Large-scale protests are rare in China, as public expressions of dissent are routinely stifled. “Xi Jinping, resign, resign!” protesters chanted in a rare show of rejection of the Chinese president.
Source: Jovempan
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