Rare protest against Chinese President Xi Jinping ahead of his re-election

A rare protest against Chinese President Xi Jinping and his government’s rigid zero-Covid policy took place in Beijing, days before he is expected to be handed an unprecedented third term in office.

Photos circulating on social media showed two banners hung on an overpass of a major thoroughfare in the northwest of the Chinese capital, protesting against Xi’s unpopular zero-Covid policy and authoritarian rule.

Banners displayed on a bridge in the district of Haidian, home to universities and tech firms in Beijing, read “Food, not COVID test”; “Reform, not a Cultural Revolution”; “Freedom, not lockdowns”; “Votes, not a leader. Dignity, not lies. Citizens, not slaves” etc.

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The banners appeared to have rattled officials in China – where political protest is rare – as they hurriedly deployed police on numerous over bridges in Beijing to ensure that the protests are not spread, while mobile patrolling has been intensified in the city.

The person also set what appeared to be car tyres on fire, and could be heard chanting slogans into a loudhailer, according to a BBC report.

The British media outlet, quoting reports, said one person has been arrested in connection to the protest. Pictures of the incident showed police officers surrounding the person, who wore a yellow hard hat and orange clothing.

Many have praised the lone protester’s actions, calling them a “hero” and referring to them as the “new Tank Man” – a reference to the unknown Chinese man who stood in front of tanks during the 1989 Tiananmen protests, the report added.

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Unfazed by the rare protests, China has ruled out a rollback of the zero-COVID policy, saying no timeline can be fixed over the restrictions to fight the deadly pandemic, amidst growing frustration over the damage it is inflicting on jobs, businesses, economy and public life.

China has no timeline for an exit from its COVID strategy, a senior government advisor heading an expert panel bluntly said over the state-run CCTV.

Meanwhile, the overarching theme emerging from China’s ongoing 20th Congress of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) in Beijing is one of continuity, not change.

The weeklong meeting, which opened Sunday, is expected to reappoint Xi as leader, reaffirm a commitment to his policies for the next five years and possibly elevate his status even further as one of the most powerful leaders in China’s modern history.

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In his speech, Xi described the five years since the last party congress as “extremely uncommon and abnormal”. His speech lasted less than two hours – far shorter than his nearly three-and-a-half-hour address at the 2017 congress, because he did not read out the entire work report, which he did five years ago, a Reuters report said.

“We must strengthen our sense of hardship, adhere to the bottom-line thinking, be prepared for danger in times of peace, prepare for a rainy day, and be ready to withstand major tests of high winds and high waves,” he said.

In his full work report, Xi used the terms “security” or “safety” 89 times, up from 55 times in 2017, according to the report, while his use of the word “reform” declined to 48 from 68 mentions five years ago.

(With inputs from agencies)