London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Jul 06, 2025

Are China’s lockdown protests the beginning of the end for Xi Jinping?

Are China’s lockdown protests the beginning of the end for Xi Jinping?

Here’s what you need to know about the demonstrations that swept across China in recent days.

The wave of demonstrations across China demanding an end to the draconian zero-COVID measures is like nothing the country has seen in decades.

From university campuses to busy streets in the downtown areas, people held up pieces of white paper as a symbol of protest after a deadly fire in a Xinjiang neighborhood under lockdown. The most dramatic moments happened over the weekend, when protesters could be heard shouting "Xi Jinping, step down."

It is a brave and risky gesture to defy the Chinese president so publicly. Beijing's strongman has only recently secured a third term in office, breaking with tradition and consolidating his unchallenged power base.

POLITICO breaks down what this means for China's leader.


How bad is it for Xi?


So far, there's no sign to suggest any significant damage to Xi's position at the top of the Communist Party.

Nevertheless, it is the first major show of resistance from the public under Xi's rule, and the grievances directed against the top of the Chinese government are too loud to be unheard.

Xi has made zero-COVID a personal political project. With the public now openly opposing the symbols of that policy — such as the strict PCR test requirements and mask regulations — he will no doubt be seen as personally liable for the public anger.

Ho-fung Hung, an academic at Johns Hopkins University specializing in China's protest movements, says the government and society "are in the process of seeking a new equilibrium. There can be conflicts and instability in the process.”

Still, the timing could have been worse for Xi, if the protests had taken place before the 20th Communist Party congress last month, when he was confirmed in his position for a precedent-breaking third term.


How significant is the public defiance?


The last comparable episode was the 1989 student protest in Tiananmen Square, but back then the demonstration was much larger in scale and occupied the iconic square at the heart of Beijing.

Most of the young people protesting against COVID restrictions this year had little or no recollection of that deadly protest more than 30 years ago. Not only were they not yet born, but there's also no footage of Tiananmen Square available under the censorship regime.

In a way, the most dangerous shock to Xi could be the political awakening of so many young, educated minds who are ready publicly to come out against him.

Students from more than 100 universities have shown solidarity with the protesters, according to Cai Xia, a defector from the Communist Party's ideology school who now lives in the U.S.


Is brutal repression avoidable?


For now, the police have refrained from a bloody crackdown on the protesters, even though there were arrests. Cases of physical assaults were also reported, like BBC journalist Ed Lawrence, who was covering the protest in Shanghai.

After an intense weekend, the police presence was significantly beefed up on Monday. Some of the streets in Shanghai, for instance, had been cordoned off with barricades, turning some of the country's wealthiest neighborhoods into no-go zones.

On Tuesday, there was no word of protests in Beijing, Shanghai or other major mainland cities due to the heavy police presence, according to the Associated Press.

At this stage, it is unclear whether the unrest is over or whether the protesters are simply waiting for their next opportunity.

Some universities also announced plans to send students back home for the winter break earlier than scheduled, in an apparent move to stop them from organizing further protests.


How's the market reacting?


Not great — initially. The immediate reaction across global stock markets was pessimistic on Monday, fuelled by a sense of political uncertainty. 

The benchmark Chinese market, Shanghai Composite, dropped by 2.2 percent briefly, while the Shenzhen Component Index, with a focus on tech, fell by 0.7 percent. 

On Tuesday, however, both indexes rose 2 percent, as there were no reports of new protests overnight. “Mass protests would deeply tilt the scales in favor of an even weaker economy,” Stephen Innes, managing partner of SPI Asset Management, said.


How does the West see it?


In the U.K., Foreign Secretary James Cleverly weighed in. "Protests against the Chinese government are rare and when they do happen, I think the world should take notice, but I think the Chinese government should take notice," Cleverly told reporters.

European Council President Charles Michel will arrive in Beijing on Thursday, as he faces calls to send a strong message to Xi to respect the peaceful protests.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s spokesman questioned why China’s still not using Western vaccines and instead relying on the policy of draconian lockdowns.

Speaking at a regular press conference in Berlin on Monday, spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit said Germany had "taken note" of the protests as well as "reports about partly violent actions of the [Chinese] security forces against the demonstrators."

In the U.S., the Biden administration is responding cautiously, reflecting in part a U.S. desire to stabilize a vital but increasingly adversarial relationship with Beijing.

There were no statements or tweets from President Joe Biden. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and national security adviser Jake Sullivan also avoided comment.

Some slightly critical comments came from an unnamed National Security Council spokesperson.

“As we’ve said, we think it’s going to be very difficult for the People’s Republic of China to be able to contain this virus through their zero Covid strategy,” the spokesperson said in a statement.


What are Xi's options?


They're limited. In the battle to contain the coronavirus, strict lockdown measures have been Xi's preference from the start. China remains opposed to using Western mRNA vaccines — which have proven to be much more effective in dealing with the latest variants of the coronavirus. The number of cases in Beijing, for instance, doubled over the weekend and remained on a rise by Tuesday.

Still, the nationwide statistics over recent days — over 30,000 daily new cases — account for only a tiny minority of the country's 1.4 billion population. Officially, just over 5,200 have died from the virus since the pandemic began.

A sudden removal of lockdown measures would likely trigger a surge in infections among a population that has not been well vaccinated. Opting for Western vaccines, however, would entail a very public loss of face for the man in charge. It seems more of the same is the likeliest course of action in Beijing.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
×