A call to support President Xi Jinping’s Covid Zero strategy was published in the Chinese Communist Party’s flagship publication, demonstrating that any change in coverage is unlikely despite the fact that lockdowns in Shanghai and other cities are threatening the economy.
On Monday, the People’s Daily declared that Xi’s approach to combating the virus has proven “right and efficient,” and that China should “unite more tightly behind the party’s leadership. The method should be followed “unwaveringly and unrelentingly” by citizens, who should take “earlier, quicker, harsher, and more realistic” steps, according to the report.
It was mentioned in the People’s Daily remark that “at the moment, it is the most difficult vital phase for epidemic prevention and control.” China must “never let the hard-earned accomplishments in epidemic prevention and control to go to waste,” according to the statement.
China is attempting to contain a deteriorating epidemic that poses a threat to the growth of the world’s second-largest economic system and the disruption of global supply lines. It was one of the most significant tests for Xi, who is more than certain to seek a third 5-year term during a Communist Party conference later this year, despite the fact that the calamity occurred.
More than a hundred thousand people have been prevented from leaving their homes in and around Shanghai and the northeastern province of Jilin, resulting in considerable criticism of the Chinese government’s reaction to a particularly contagious omicron variant virus. Residents in need of food, medical treatment, and perseverance have taken to the streets in rare public displays of opposition against the Communist Party of China.
More Chinese authorities are taking note of Xi’s call and implementing harsh mobility restrictions in order to combat the virus’ spread. The western city of Xi’an was placed under a partial lockdown over the weekend, which will last for four days. Zhengzhou, a central Chinese city, has also closed down its airport sector for two weeks, and on Monday started conducting mass testing in the vicinity of the airport.
In an article published in People’s Daily, the publication noted that “practise over the last two years has demonstrated that the overall approach and policy of normalised epidemic prevention and control are accurate and successful.” A similar front-page column supporting Xi’s Covid Zero strategy appeared earlier last month, with the newspaper stating that the coverage is critical to save lives and keeping the economy afloat.
