Videos on Chinese social networks show a host of students from the University of Technology of Nankin demonstrating.
MO12345lemonde with AFP
If the hour seems to be a slow and very progressive reopening, the daily life of hundreds of millions of Chinese continues to be marked by health constraints. Students demonstrated against the containment of their university in eastern China, according to videos published Tuesday, December 6 on Chinese social networks.
These videos geolocated by the France-Presse agency (AFP) show a host of students from the University of Technology of Nankin demonstrating in order to be able to leave the campus. “Your power, you draw it from the students, not yourself,” shouts a participant in a manager. “Be at the service of students!” A third year student, wishing to remain anonymous, told AFP that the demonstration broke out after the announcement by the school that the campus would be completed for five days following the Discovery of a positive case.
In the video, we see students arguing with university representatives. “If you touch us, it will become a new Foxconn here!” Shouts a young person in reference to the violent manifestations of workers last month in the Chinese factory of the Taiwanese giant, which manufactures the iPhone for Apple.
Progressive softening
Many cities gradually soften their zero covid strategy after the major demonstrations of the end of November, however that many Chinese universities are confined under health policy. Their students must submit a request to get out of it and visitors are prohibited.
According to calculations by the Nomura bank, 53 cities, representing approximately a third of the 1.4 billion inhabitants of China, still applied forms of restrictions on Monday.
Following major demonstrations of the end of November in a dozen cities against zero covid policy, the authorities have strengthened the police presence and the surveillance of social networks. During the gatherings of the end of November, the demonstrators, mainly young, requested the lifting of the restrictions that affect their lives and their projects since 2020. Several hundred, even thousands, of students have since expressed campuses, of the prestigious university Tsinghua Beijing to establishments in Xi’an (Center), Canton (South) or Wuhan (Center).
In parallel with the repressive component, the authorities have since proceeded to a relaxation of certain restrictions. The city of Beijing announced Tuesday that office buildings and shops, including supermarkets, would no longer require the presentation of a negative PCR test. Several other major cities, such as Shanghai or Hangzhou, have also reduced their test requirements.