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China’s ‘zero Covid’ workers revolt
Mass testing was a cornerstone of China’s pandemic strategy. But now that the country has abandoned its strict “zero Covid” controls, it’s no longer in high demand. Companies that amassed fortunes making the test kits and analyzing results have begun instituting layoffs or pay cuts.
Former employees are caught in the middle. This month, frustrated by their sudden loss of wages, people who once worked in pandemic-control industries started to revolt.
Hundreds of protesters in Chongqing, a southwestern city, chanted “pay me back” as they forced police officers in riot gear to retreat, and spilled thousands of tests on the ground. In Hangzhou, an eastern city, witnesses said angry workers climbed up on the roof of a test kit factory and threatened to jump to protest unpaid furloughs.
The disputes could portend more unrest. Factories, owed money by governments, are strapped for cash amid the broader slowdown. One expert said that workers have next to no recourse to resolve their grievances other than to lash out.
Economy: One report suggested that mass testing in large cities accounted for about 1.3 percent of China’s economic output.
Omicron: The variant made mass testing financially unsustainable. Some local governments, facing the economic slowdown, struggled to pay for the millions of free swabs that residents had to take almost every day.Britain pushes for aid to Ukraine
Britain is leading the push to send more Western military aid to Ukraine, as fears rise that Russia will soon begin a new offensive.
Yesterday, Britain confirmed plans to send 14 tanks and a package of other sophisticated military equipment to Ukraine in the coming weeks. Later this week, two top British officials will visit the U.S., Canada, Germany and other NATO allies to discuss closer coordination on sanctions against Russia and military aid to Ukraine.
Only months ago, such aid was considered taboo; Western countries resisted sending powerful arms to Ukraine for fear that it would prompt Russia to escalate the grinding war. But one expert said that Russia appeared to be mobilizing hundreds of thousands of new conscripts, which accelerated discussions about giving Kyiv the tanks.
What’s next: Britain said it would begin training Ukrainian forces on the tanks and guns in the coming days. Thousands of Ukrainian troops have trained in Britain over the last six months.
Dnipro: The death toll from Russia’s strike on an apartment building on Saturday has risen to 40. The U.N. has confirmed the deaths of more than 7,000 Ukrainian civilians in the war, but said the full toll was far higher.
