by John Ai

The authorities tighten restrictions in various parts of the country, as requested by paramount leader Xi Jinping. Censors remove online criticism. US companies in China are also critical of Beijing's zero-COVID policy.

Rome (AsiaNews) – In the last 24 hours Shanghai has reported a sharp decline in daily COVID-19 cases, from around 25,000 in mid-April to some 1,500 cases today.

Despite this, the authorities have boosted restrictions, reimposing lockdowns in parts of the city that were slowly making a recovery. Nevertheless, on several occasions, residents disregarded the ban on leaving their homes.

After President Xi Jinping reiterated his zero-COVID policy last week, many Chinese cities stepped up their crackdown to contain the coronavirus.

Beijing is in partial lockdown, albeit unofficially, with residents forced to undergo repeated testing.

Bus services have been scrapped in several parts of the capital, and some subway stations have been closed. Many residents have been ordered to work from home while many students have to follow courses remotely from home.

Still Shanghai remains the most affected city. Because of this, local authorities have postponed to July university entrance exams, a key event for students and families.

In the meantime, some legal scholars have questioned the legitimacy of strict isolation measures.

In an open letter, Tong Zhiwei (童 之 伟), a professor of constitutional law at the East China University of Political Science and Law, called on the authorities to stop forcing people to be quarantined in temporary hospitals.

Tong wrote that extreme health measures have had serious consequences and can impact the rule of law. He noted that he consulted over 20 scholars from various universities to back his views; however, the latter were quickly removed from Chinese social media.

Lawyer Liu Dali (刘 大力), who also questioned the legal basis of the authorities’ quarantine measures, also had his online posts removed.

Censorship has struck in other ways. Censors removed online videos showing Shanghai police breaking down doors to take away people who refuse to go to designated quarantine facilities.

Before being forced out of their homes, people had to hand over their house keys so that health workers could disinfect the premises.

In a situation increasingly politicised by the authorities, Xi made it clear that “our guideline of prevention is determined by the nature and purpose of the party”.

China’s paramount leader called on Chinese Communist Party officials to follow the Central Committee and “resolutely fight against all remarks and deeds that distort, doubt and deny my country's epidemic prevention guidelines and policies".

In Shanghai local leaders responded to Xi's instructions by promising to eliminate infections as soon as possible.

But there is a China outside the big cities where lockdowns are rarely reported, border towns that depend on foreign trade, badly impacted by extended closures, places like Ruili on the border with Myanmar, Dongxing near Vietnam, and Suifenhe next to Russia.

For most experts, Xi's zero-COVID policy is harming global supply chains and the Chinese economy itself. In April, China’s exports grew only by 3.9 per cent compared to the same month a year before, the lowest in the last two years.

Foreign companies are also losing faith. A survey found that one in four European companies present in China (23 per cent) plan to move their operations to other countries. US companies are alarmed as well.

According to the US Chamber of Commerce in China, 51 per cent of US companies will cut or delay their investments in China, while 58 per cent anticipate a drop in annual revenues.

“We are bracing for a mass exodus of foreign talent this summer, with fewer employees overseas willing to take up open positions here in China,” said chamber’s chairman Colm Rafferty speaking to Reuters.

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• china
• covid-19
• pandemic
• lockdown
• closures
• strict restrictions
• legal question
• censorship
• foreign companies
• decline