China hints at relaxing zero Covid policy amid global outcry

As China continues to face public outrage against President Xi Jinping's zero Covid policy, the country on Tuesday said that it will take steps to "minimise" the impact of its draconian coronavirus lockdown.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said China has been adjusting the zero-Covid policy based on the changing circumstances, reported PTI. "We will keep improving science-based maximum protection to people's lives and health and minimise the Covid impact on social economic development," he said at a press conference.

This comes after anti-Covid protests in the country turned political with calls for Communist party and Xi Jinping to step down getting louder over the last weekend. Following this, police were out in full force in key protest areas like Shanghai and Beijing.

The protests, which began last Friday, also gathered support from around the world. The United Nations (UN) on Monday urged China to respect the right to peaceful protests in the country. UN asked Chinese government not to detain people just for participating in the peaceful agitation.

As per a report by Reuters, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby told CNN, "We don't want to see protesters physically harmed, intimidated or coerced in any way. That's what peaceful protest is all about and that's what we have continued to stand up for whether it's in China or Iran or elsewhere around the world." 

Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that in the face of the protests, China had "chosen to crack down further, including by assaulting a BBC journalist".

China's foreign ministry said on Tuesday that all rights and freedoms of Chinese citizens are protected but they must be exercised within the framework of the law. National Health Commission spokesperson Mi Feng said efforts would continue to fine-tune policy to reduce its impact on society and the economy.

Protests across China began last Friday after a deadly fire killed 10 people on Thursday in Urumqi. Many blamed the Covid lockdowns for hampering rescue efforts during the fire. The country follows a strict zero-Covid policy under which local authorities clamp down on even small outbreaks with mass testing, quarantines and snap lockdowns.

(With inputs from agencies)

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