China Vows to Continue Its draconian Zero-Covid Policy

China Reaffirms Brutal Zero-COVID Policy, Uyghurs Face Continued Hardship

By Tahir Imin

Nov 15, 2022

China’s leadership has vowed to continue its strict zero-COVID policy, despite widespread criticism and public suffering. According to state media Xinhua, the CPC Central Committee held a meeting on November 10, presided over by Xi Jinping, to review COVID prevention and control measures and “optimize” the response with twenty new measures. Officials emphasized “external defense against imports and internal defense against rebound” and the continuation of a “strict clearing policy.”

The zero-COVID policy has sparked anger across China, with long lockdowns causing shortages of food and medical care. In Uyghur regions, lockdowns have lasted more than 100 days, leaving communities trapped and isolated.

The Chinese government justifies the policy by citing the country’s large population, vulnerable groups, uneven regional development, and limited medical resources, warning that virus mutations and seasonal factors could worsen the outbreak.

Mehmet Tursun, a Uyghur intellectual in Washington, told the Uyghur Times that “the inhumane COVID measures in East Turkistan may now pose a threat to Uyghurs that put their lives at unprecedented risk.”