China lifts Covid-19 restrictions in Guangzhou & Chongqing after violent protests

Beijing: Chinese authorities abruptly lifted Covid-19 restrictions in two cities- Guangzhou and Chongqing where protesters clashed with the police as they continued tracking demonstrators in other cities.

According to the official announcements, local officials are asked to variously remove ‘temporary control orders’ and to redesignate areas as low-risk while also announcing an end to mass PCR testing.

The Guardian quoted a city official as saying that the south-western city of Chongqing will allow close contacts of people with Covid, who fulfil certain conditions such as self-quarantine at home.

Notably, the ease of restrictions that come despite rising cases in the city, is not extended to all districts. Several areas such as Haizhu, where protesters scuffled with police on Tuesday night, continue to remain under restrictions. The city has reported over 7,000 infections on Tuesday.

Several videos of the clashes in Haizhu took over the internet showing security personnel in hazmat suits forming lines shoulder to shoulder and moving down a street while glass shattered around them.

The majority of Guangzhou’s Covid-19 instances have been found in the 1.8 million+ resident Haizhu district. Since late October, most of the neighbourhood has been under lockdown.

After days of incessant protests in the country that prompted international demonstrations in solidarity, the US and Canada urged China not to punish or intimidate protesters who are opposing Covid lockdowns.

On Tuesday, the White House national security spokesperson John Kirby told CNN that the US stood up for peaceful protesters. He said, “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.”

While Canada PM Justin Trudeau said that everyone in China should be allowed to protest and enjoy freedom of expression, and that Canadians were closely watching the protests against the country’s ‘Zero-Covid’ policy.

“We’re going to continue to ensure that China knows we’ll stand up for human rights, we’ll stand with people who are expressing themselves,” he added.

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