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Tokyo, December 17: Although Chinese President Xi Jinping successfully snubbed women in a leadership reshuffle at the 20th National Congress, securing his third term, Xi had to bow to female protesters who freed the country from strict ‘s zero COVID policy, writes Katsuharu Nakazawa of Nikkei Asia.
The achievement is all the more significant given that Xi Jinping assumed supreme power at the Chinese Communist Party Congress in October. Don’t take citizens for granted, Chinese President Xi Jinping sends dictator troublesome message related to zero COVID policy: report.
Mr. Xi is believed to have no choice but to compromise his ego or risk sparking a more violent movement — calls for his resignation, Mr. Katsuji said. Women hold up a blank A4 sheet at the forefront of China’s white paper protests.
In fact, Xi Jinping may use the white paper campaign to move away from his zero-COVID policy, which is wreaking havoc on the Chinese economy. Regardless of the truth, this shift has unintended consequences. While the protests have calmed down, another intolerable situation could spark another mass demonstration.
and set a precedent. Protests should be able to secure new concessions; the new logic goes like this. In this regard, the Xi administration may have inadvertently opened a Pandora’s box, according to Nikkei Asia. Xi Jinping’s ‘Zero COVID Policy’ Fails as China Finds New Cases; Protests Surge After Communist Party Defeat.
A notable element of the White Paper movement is the fact that women are at the forefront. “Those who are leading movements across the country are clearly women,” said a source familiar with social movements in China. “Behind their campaign is a fundamental argument that women’s rights should be protected.”
The source said the argument that the inhumane zero-COVID policy should be repealed, restricting freedom for too long, is part of a larger position, one that calls for rights of all kinds. The background behind all of this, sources insist, is protection of women’s rights, Katsuji said.
The photos of the white paper rallies in Shanghai, Beijing, Nanjing and other places, without exception, show the images of frontline women bravely holding up the white paper.
Interestingly, women have also been at the forefront of demonstrations in support of the mainland white paper protesters in Taipei, Hong Kong and Tokyo. This female-led international solidarity is a new phenomenon, according to Nikkei Asia.
Contemporary Chinese men tend to be conservative and are sometimes reluctant to take bold action for fear of compromising their ability to gain and maintain social status and future job prospects. Most Chinese women also have jobs, but many have been affected by layoffs related to the zero-COVID policy. Their demands include demands for jobs, food and basic human rights.
According to Nikkei Asia, the white paper protests are tricky for Xi because they reflect various contradictions that are prevalent in China. The pent-up frustration of Chinese women also stems from sexual harassment and violence in the country.
Earlier this year, a video of a 44-year-old woman wearing a chain around her neck went viral, causing a public outcry.
Authorities in Jiangsu Province arrested her husband on suspicion of abuse. After being taken to a rural village, the woman was a victim of human trafficking and went on to have eight children with her husband.
There is a population imbalance in China. Especially in rural areas, there are more men than women due to the country’s long-standing but repealed one-child policy. The widespread abduction and trafficking of women to compensate for the “bride shortage” is a major social problem in China, according to Nikkei Asia.
The incident shed new light on oppressed women across the country and sparked calls across the country to protect their rights. Local authorities initially tried to cover it up, but the appeals on social media made it impossible to ignore. With the repeal of the zero-coronavirus policy, the power of the people has been demonstrated.
The white paper campaign is not over; social setbacks, such as women’s rights issues, are still brewing. Protests could resurface at some point in the future, Katsuji said, and with greater intensity.
Despite measures such as the 2020 Hong Kong National Security Law, new trends threaten to link social movements in mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Moreover, the impact of women taking to the streets contrasts sharply with Xi’s enthusiasm for promoting women to top positions.
The all-male 24-member Politburo announced at the party congress has drawn international condemnation.
Some believe that Mr. Xi’s snubbing of women in the leadership reshuffle reflects his lack of interest in protecting women’s rights and his apparent reluctance to value their views.
(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from a Syndicated News feed, the content body may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)
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