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China’s government on Tuesday signaled it’s not backing down in the face of nationwide protests against Chinese President Xi Jinping’s zero-COVID policies, according to state media.
Police were called out in large numbers in a bid to halt the protests that erupted over the weekend following the burning deaths in Xinjiang of several people locked in their residences due to COVID restrictions.
Videos circulating on U.S. social media showed Chinese armored personnel carriers in Xuzhou, 370 miles northwest of Shanghai, where protesters had gathered. It was not publicly known if the military vehicle movements were related to the protests.
The anti-lockdown protests have included calls for freedom and an end to Chinese Communist Party rule. In major cities, protesters shouted “CCP step down” and “Xi Jinping step down.”
Protestors have been waving blank pieces of paper signifying government censorship and controls.
The White House on Monday offered tepid support, with spokesman John Kirby saying the U.S. backs the right to protest around the world, including in China.
