November 30, 2022
2 mins read

‘White paper’ protest movement gains global support

Some protesters picked up slogans from the ‘Bridge Man’ protest banners hung from a traffic bridge in Beijing on October 13 that called on President Xi Jinping to step down …reports Asian Lite News

Rights activists and democracy campaigners outside China have come out in strong support of the “white paper” protest movement last weekend that was sparked by a fire in a locked-down apartment building in Xinjiang’s regional capital, Urumqi, according to a media report.

Some protesters picked up slogans from the ‘Bridge Man’ protest banners hung from a traffic bridge in Beijing on October 13 that called on President Xi Jinping to step down and call elections, as well as putting an end to lockdowns, mass Covid testing and surveillance, RFA reported

Those calls were echoed in an open letter to the Chinese government by dozens of exiled Chinese dissidents including Wang Juntao in response to the protests, in which participants held up blank sheets of paper in a mute and ironic protest against authoritarian rule and lack of freedom of speech, the report said.

“There are angry public protests all across China right now, demanding an end to the zero-Covid policy, which disregards people’s suffering and flies in the face of medical consensus,” the letter said.

“As the person responsible for it, Xi Jinping should step down!”

President Xi Jinping. (Xinhua/IANS)

The letter called for a full review of Covid-19 measures, research into an effective vaccination and treatment program, and an end to rolling lockdowns across the country.

“[China should] investigate Xi Jinping’s cover-up of the early stages of the pandemic … and hold him accountable for wrongdoing, along with the Communist Party and government officials … who enforced his tyrannical laws,” the letter said, RFA reported.

Former 1989 student leader Wang Dan, who runs the Taiwan-based Dialogue China think tank, said overseas solidarity was very important to make the most of the weekend’s protests, which were mostly spontaneous and uncoordinated.

Wang said the protests had likely already hurt Xi’s prestige within the party.

“This is just the beginning,” he said, citing rising youth unemployment and an economic downturn that will fuel dissatisfaction with the Chinese government.

“[Xi] definitely won’t have an easy time over the next five years, and I strongly doubt he will get a fourth term in office.”

Wang also co-signed a second open letter calling on the army not to fire on civilians, should the protests spread.

“We cannot have a repeat of the tragedy of the June 4, 1989 massacre,” according to the letter, addressed to the People’s Liberation Army.

ALSO READ: We stand with protestors in China, says Trudeau

Previous Story

Food price inflation hits new high of 12.4%

Next Story

Concern over China’s tightening hold over Iraq’s oil industry

Latest from -Top News

Pakistan Faces Rising Uprisings

Officials warn that Pakistan cannot continue suppressing such protests by force indefinitely. A breaking point, they say, is inevitable — when the growing discontent converges into a major challenge for the establishment

UN Faces Crisis, Says Rajnath

Rajnath Singh said India recognises that the success of peacekeeping depends not only on numbers but on preparedness….reports Asian Lite News Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday highlighted the urgent need for

UK to host summit on Gaza recovery plan

The three-day conference, beginning Monday afternoon, will take place at Wilton Park, the Foreign Office’s policy forum based in West Sussex The UK will host an international summit on the recovery and

India, Australia Begin AUSTRAHIND

The AUSTRAHIND exercise, which followed Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s recent visit to Australia, reaffirmed the deepening defence cooperation between the two nations…reports Asian Lite News Strengthening the expanding defence partnership between India

‘Modi’s a Very Good Friend’: Trump

Trump’s remarks come days after Modi called him to congratulate on the “success” of the Gaza peace plan….reports Asian Lite News US President Donald Trump on Monday lauded India and described Prime
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Xi Jinping has his way

The way Xi asserted that China’s zero-COVID policy was good

U.S. midterm polls give Biden a chance to course correct in Eurasia

The G20 Summit may show whether President Biden has finally