Protests erupted in Wuhan, China, over the government’s strict COVID measures in a rare show of defiance, prompting US senators to warn Beijing on Friday against any violent crackdown.
In a bipartisan letter to China’s ambassador to Washington, Qin Gang, a group of 42 senators warned China they were “closely watching” Beijing’s response to the unrest, saying any violent crackdown on protesters would cause “extraordinary damage.” to the US and China. relationship.
“We warn the CCP in the strongest possible terms not to resume a violent crackdown on peaceful Chinese protesters who simply want more freedom,” reads the letter written by Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan and Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley.
A person holds a banner during a protest in solidarity over coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions in mainland China, during a commemoration for the victims of a fire in Urumqi, outside the Chinese consulate in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on November 29, 2022.
(REUTERS/Chris Helgren)
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The letter referred to the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre, in which thousands of protesting students are believed to have been killed by Chinese authorities.
“If that happens, we believe there will be serious consequences for the US-China relationship, causing extraordinary damage to it,” the lawmakers added.
The letter was fewer than 100 words, but it was a direct warning to Beijing just weeks after President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping met and vowed to strengthen relations after years of heightened tension and growing concerns of security.
Protesters hold blank papers and chant slogans as they march in Beijing, Sunday, November 27, 2022.
(AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
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But protests across China once again threatened that relationship after Chinese citizens took to the streets to protest Beijing’s oppressive policies.
Following the 2019 COVID outbreak in Wuhan, China erected barriers across the country as a way to prevent people from leaving their neighborhoods, or even their homes, in an effort to contain the virus, according to multiple reports.
It is unclear if or to what extent the barriers were ever removed, but images verified by Reuters on Friday showed dozens of protesters in Wuhan tearing down a barrier that appeared to block access to other parts of the city.
Barriers were reportedly erected as a way for China to contain communities during the pandemic and better control dissidents who defy COVID laws.
Demonstrators hold blank papers and chant slogans as they march in protest in Beijing, Sunday, November 27, 2022.
(AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
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Some cities in China have begun to ease COVID regulations following weeks of protests by lowering testing requirements and quarantine restrictions.
Reports this week suggested that Beijing may try to soften policies across the country by allowing mothers, the elderly and people with underlying conditions to self-quarantine at home rather than being forced to stay at government facilities. government.
