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These same draconian measures were how China supposedly weathered the initial spread of COVID well if those reports are to be believed, and even if you don't it's the party line. Given that, it would seem more likely that they'll double down since "this worked before." Along these same lines, crushing dissenters is also something the government has much experience with, and has also "worked before" in the worst ways.…
Yeah... but those lockdowns weren't in "first-tier" cities, it was lockdowns of dirty provincials. If the elites in Beijing are locked in their apartments for months on end, and start to go hungry... idk. I'm not saying there's going to be some fantastical democratic reform, but a coup that replaces Xi seems plausible.
That's why Beijing is getting better treatment.
>A defence of Beijing’s strict border controls might stress the importance of shielding the central government from outbreaks. But that does not explain why pandemic rules inside the capital have been strikingly lenient, compared with those imposed on humbler places like Langfang. For instance, more than half a dozen covid cases were found in April in Jiuxianqiao, a district of Beijing near modern-art galleries and posh apartment blocks. A compact “high-risk zone” was drawn around that outbreak as if with a scalpel. Nearby schools, shops and restaurants stayed open.
https://www.economist.com/china/2022/04/21/chinas-harsh-and-...
Why isn't this being called a humanitarian crisis by our illustrious Western leaders?
My guess is there's too much money on the table for those in the western establishment (corporate media and government) to call a spade a spade. If official criticism of China becomes too strong then the public might start asking for the sort of economic sanctions that would hurt western business interests as well. Basically, a manifestation of that old theory about international trade preempting wars.
This is not out of humanitarian interest. It's starting to affect business very significantly.
[1] https://www.reuters.com/world/china/european-business-chambe...
[2] https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/04/16/business/japan-...
The secret police apparently got to the author of the video: - "“However, I don’t wish this video to be distributed in the directions I don’t want,” he added. “I hope everyone stops sharing, or please asking people you know to stop sharing.”" https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/22/sound-of-april...
One thing that I observe about how China deals with COVID: leadership assumes that they have perfect control over perfect people. Therefore they try these type of solutions like complete lock-down of a city of 26m people. They assume that they are perfect as leaders, so planning is perfect and takes everything into consideration. They assume that people will execute their orders perfectly, even under extreme hardship…
One thing that I observe about how China deals with COVID: leadership assumes that they have perfect control over perfect people. Therefore they try these type of solutions like complete lock-down of a city of 26m people. They assume that they are perfect as leaders, so planning is perfect and takes everything into consideration. They assume that people will execute their orders perfectly, even under extreme hardship…
The secret police apparently got to the author of the video: - "“However, I don’t wish this video to be distributed in the directions I don’t want,” he added. “I hope everyone stops sharing, or please asking people you know to stop sharing.”" https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/22/sound-of-april...
The secret police apparently got to the author of the video: - "“However, I don’t wish this video to be distributed in the directions I don’t want,” he added. “I hope everyone stops sharing, or please asking people you know to stop sharing.”" https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/22/sound-of-april...
My understanding is that this kind of thing is handled by the ordinary police.