Xi Jinping seems to have become the first Chinese President to be asked by people to step down, Inside Over reported. People across the nation have been carrying out protests demanding the resignation of Xi Jinping over his strict COVID measures.
Further, people have also raised the demand for putting an end to the one-party rule of the Communist Party of China (CCP). People have raised slogans like “Step down, Xi Jinping! Step down, Communist Party!” and “We don’t want lifelong rulers. We don’t want emperors,” as per the news report.
Xi’s efforts to have a strong grip on the CCP, the government, and the Chinese people appear to have gone wrong. The main reason behind people’s outbursts is the “mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
People have stressed that anti-virus measures implemented under the Xi-led government’s zero-COVID policy have failed to contain the pandemic and have harmed their freedom, health, and livelihood. Notably, China has been adhering to stringent restrictions, which include lockdowns and travel restrictions.
The protests being carried out in China are unprecedented since the Chinese people have posed a challenge to the 70-year rule of the communist party. China is seeing such kinds of protests since the 1989 Tiananmen Square incident when thousands of people carried out protests for democratic rights.
The protests which are being witnessed in China showcase how people have resisted the fear of retaliation by Chinese authorities, which played a key role in suppressing dissent so far. As per the report, all kinds of dissents were removed using crackdowns under Xi Jinping’s rule.
Even the activists, authors intellectuals, and even political leaders were made silent using punitive actions. Afraid of sensors and surveillance, Chinese people did not even openly criticize Xi Jinping on social media platforms.
Xi Jinping did not face any opposition even when he modified the Chinese constitution, paving the way of him to remain “president for life.” Xi’s speeches and resolutions passed by the CCP in the recent past showcased him trying to portray himself as bigger than Mao Zedong.
Considering the current situation, people’s demand of Xi Jinping’s resignation is “extraordinary and can lead to a political coup.” Reports have claimed that the ongoing situation in China could result in a political coup, mounted by top CCP leaders and rivals of Xi Jinping.
Students held protests against Xi and the CCP government at Tsinghua University in Beijing and chanted slogans like “Democracy and the rule of law, freedom of expression.” Similar protests were witnessed across China, including Shanghai, Wuhan, Urumqi, Chengdu and Guangzhou.
A woman protester in Shanghai shouted, “We don’t want lies; we want respect! We don’t want a leader; we want a voting ballot.” Protesters have shouted the slogan, “Opposition to dictatorship,” according to Inside Over.
The nationwide protests have been putting pressure on Xi Jinping and his party to respond. As per the news report, the most likely response of the authorities will be through repression by arrests and prosecution of protesters. However, people have started coming in support of the protests who are being detained or arrested by police.
The report said that a protester in a viral video said, “We Chinese need to be braver. So many of us were arrested yesterday. Are they without job or without family? We should not be afraid!” Xi-led government’s immediate response will be to remove photos and videos of the protests, according to Inside Over. However, the government will not opt for a crackdown as it could worsen the situation and further spark nationwide agitations.