China reports first Covid death for six months as Beijing cases rise
GuardianDec 24, 2022
The Facts
Police on Monday were out in force across China in an attempt to quell protests against COVID restrictions that rocked the nation over the weekend, in what is being characterized as one of the largest acts of civil disobedience in decades.
This comes as, on Saturday, China reported a record high of 39,791 new COVID infections. Despite the spike in infections, protests erupted against the country's "zero-COVID" policy — which includes prolonged lockdowns and quarantines.
The Spin
Anti-China narrative
China's fixation with its zero-COVID policy has triggered historic discontent among its residents, who grapple with skyrocketing inflation, employment uncertainties, and rising fears of a global recession. The rise in COVID infections proves the zero-tolerance approach has failed to contain the virus. The PRC must ease restrictions, spend resources on intensive care hospitals, and stop upending its citizens' normal lives. This will help ease dissent and bring the economy back on track.
Pro-China narrative
It's imperative for China to stick to zero-COVID measures to save lives, stabilize the economy in the long term, and achieve a balance between virus control and socioeconomic development. This has been a challenging road for the PRC's citizenry, but solidarity against the virus will help enhance safety and economic security.