Xi Jinping has heard the voice of the people
Last week, with the first signs of flexibility from Chinese officials in implementing COVID policies and easing the severity and extent of restrictions, especially testing regulations, public protests in China decreased. However, the fundamental demands of the Chinese people and the country’s political activists have still come to the forefront.
Testing rules and the obligation to close public places in various cities in China are being reduced and eased, and in some areas, are being eliminated. Beijing and Shanghai are witnessing the reopening of many businesses and the revival of public transportation, and the requirement for testing based on the law and the rule of possessing a negative test certificate every two days is being eliminated in many cities.
It is still unclear how far these changes will extend, yet it seems that the Chinese leader and his subordinates have been influenced by public protests regarding COVID policies.