China's foreign ministry defends country's COVID-19 response amid widespread protests

Record ID: 1699731

  • Title: China's foreign ministry defends country's COVID-19 response amid widespread protests
  • Date: 28th November 2022
  • Summary: BEIJING, CHINA (NOVEMBER 28, 2022) (REUTERS) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON ZHAO LIJIAN WALKING IN FOR REGULAR NEWS CONFERENCE JOURNALISTS SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON ZHAO LIJIAN, SAYING: "What you mentioned does not reflect what actually happened. China has been following the dynamic zero-COVID policy and has been making adjustments based on the reality on the ground, and as we speak, China is following the ninth version of the pandemic protocols and 20 (anti-COVID) measures. We believe that with the leadership of the Communist Party of China, and cooperation of the Chinese people, our fight against COVID-19 will be successful." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON ZHAO LIJIAN, SAYING: "I have already answered your question earlier, and I am not aware of the situation you mentioned. Next question." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON ZHAO LIJIAN, SAYING: "Indeed, on social media there are some forces with ulterior motives relating the fire with the local response to COVID-19. The Urumqi city government has already held a news conference to clarify what actually happened and refuted the disinformation and smears. As to some people’s concerns about safety of living in China you just mentioned, I think it is totally unnecessary. For most of us living in China, it is quite safe." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS
  • Embargoed: 12th December 2022 08:45
  • Keywords: BBC Beijing China anti-lockdown civil disobedience curbs foreign ministry journalist protest unrest zero-COVID policy
  • Location: BEIJING, CHINA
  • City: BEIJING, CHINA
  • Country: China
  • Topics: Asia / Pacific,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA001273628112022RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: China's foreign ministry on Monday (November 28) defended the country's COVID-19 response amid widespread outpouring of public dissent that has gone beyond social media to some of China's streets and top universities.
    China is also not aware of any solidarity protests abroad calling for an end to its zero-COVID policy, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told a regular news conference.
    During the weekend, from the streets of Shanghai and Beijing to dozens of university campuses, protesters made a show of civil disobedience unprecedented since leader Xi Jinping assumed power a decade ago, overseeing the quashing of dissent and setting up an extensive high-tech social surveillance system. The rare display of civil unrest was sparked by anger over an apartment fire late last week in the far western city of Urumqi that killed 10 people.
    The backlash against COVID restrictions is a setback for China's efforts to eradicate the virus, which is infecting record numbers of people and raising concern about the economic toll of lockdowns on the world's second-largest economy.
    (Production: Martin Pollard, Phyllis Xu)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2022. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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