The continued easing of Chinese restrictions

Several cities announced on Friday that rules around testing and quarantining infected people have been relaxed. Among other things, residents of the multi-million city of Chengdu will not have to show a negative Covid test to ride the subway or stay in public. Instead, in the future they will only need a “green health code” confirming that they have not recently been in “high risk areas”. Many cities experiencing coronavirus outbreaks are now allowing restaurants, malls and schools to reopen, marking a marked departure from previous tough lockdowns.

In Beijing, authorities on Thursday called on hospitals not to refuse care to patients who have not recently had negative PCR tests.

Protesters have called for an end to widespread lockdowns as part of China’s zero-tolerance approach to the virus. They also called for greater political freedom and protested President Xi Jinping’s increasingly authoritarian rule.

While restrictions are being eased, the regime continues to severely crack down on protesters. The streets are heavily guarded by heavily equipped riot police, digital censorship is in effect and tight control over residents.

According to the US-based Committee to Protect Journalists, Shanghai police deliberately targeted foreign correspondents covering the protests. Several foreign journalists were arrested and beaten during the demonstrations and their equipment confiscated, the Committee to Protect Journalists wrote in a news release.