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A Chinese City’s Penalty Is a 10-Day Detention for Skipping Multiple PCR Tests

On May 31, the city government of Siping in China’s northeastern Jilin Province announced it would launch massive Covid-19 PCR testing for residents starting on June 2. The testing requires that “no one is left behind.” The authorities vowed to inflict punishment on anyone who did not participate in the drive. Punitive measures would include restricting access to neighborhoods and public places, paying for the cost of make-up tests, and being admonished by local police. For those who failed to take the required tests on more than two occasions, the penalty would include 10-days of administratively detention, a fine of 500 yuan (US$ 75), being blacklisted in China’s social credit system, and public naming and shaming.

The announcement sparked criticism from Chinese netizens. Some said, “The Siping municipal government is openly breaking the law.” Others questioned, “Which law is the basis for such a detention rule? This is serious damage to the rule of law in China!”

Draconian measures to combat the epidemic adopted by Chinese authorities have triggered public discontent. For example, in Jiangsu, medical staff would throw away all the food in the refrigerator that belonged to the Covid patient. In Shanghai a netizen complained saying that the disinfection personnel entered his residence without his consent.

Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), May 31, 2022
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202205310229.aspx

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Chinese Graduates Signing Rate was Only 32 Percent as of May

Well-known Chinese news site Tencent News recently reported that, according to the latest data on contract-signing for college graduates, as of May, 22 percent of males signed employment contracts and 10 percent of females signed, which is really appalling. This year’s class of college graduates faced a truly tough labor environment. The COVID pandemic has brought down many employers. With continuous risk control, millions of companies have no profit, only expense after expense. It has not been easy for small and medium-sized companies to survive this year. However, if they do survive, they have to save money and reduce costs. Many employers are laying off employees. It is very difficult to find a job at this time. Half of the companies have closed down, so it’s already strange if one doesn’t lose his job, let alone the difficulty college students who have just graduated face in seeking a job. There are a lot of people who have been in the job market for more than 10 years and are still without a job. The number is greater than for those who have just-graduated. Many colleges push students to sign the Tripartite Agreements (an employment agreement between the student, the college and the employer), which are often not a guarantee of employment but just an intent, since the Agreement is not a legally binding formal hiring contract. Not many students have managed to secure a hiring contract for job positions as soon as they graduate. Many had to turn to continuing education by taking graduate school exams, or to participate in civil service exams  to obtain a government job. However, there are only so many job positions every year, and most people will take the exams while working on something temporary or just give up altogether.

Source: Tencent News, May 19, 2022
https://xw.qq.com/cmsid/20220519A034M400

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Government: Xinhua to Foreign Companies: Endure the COVID Hardship for a “Better Future”

Xinhua published a commentary on foreign companies moving out of China. It acknowledged that many foreign companies are considering leaving China because of their concern that the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) “Zero-COVID” policy impacts their normal business. It defended the “Zero-COVID” policy as the right measure for China and asked foreign companies to work with the CCP to endure the temporary hardship for a “better future.”

It appealed to foreign companies, “One’s vision determines the outcome. Is it better to focus on the immediate interests, worrying, wavering, and turning to the so-called ‘alternative options’ (of other countries to replace China), or to look far ahead, taking the long view, staying with the current course, and choosing to overcome the difficulties together with China and create a future together? (We) believe the wise entrepreneurs will make the far-sighted choice.”

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Source: Xinhua, May 12, 2022
http://www.news.cn/world/2022-05/12/c_1128644750.htm

Hot Topics | | |   Economy/Resources Government/Politics Social Stability

Public Opinion: Hot Discussions on Shanghai Man’s Saying, “This Is Our Last Generation”

Recently an online video attracted many reposts and some hot discussions.

The video was about a Shanghai case in which a police officer, covered in a full COVID protective suit, came to take a resident to a quarantine location. The resident had tested negative for COVID but, according to the authorities, might have been close to someone who had COVID. The resident refused to go.

The police officer then threatened him and said that he would be punished for not following the authorities’ order and the punishment would implicate his parents and children as well. The officer said, “The punishment will impact all three generations of your family.”

The man answered, “Unfortunately, this is our last generation. Thank you!”

Public comments said that this showed how desperate and tragic the lives of the people in China have become. They cannot change the CCP’s actions and cannot control their own lives. They have even chosen not to have children so that they wouldn’t pass the same tragedy of living down to their children.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has deleted the video and all discussions about it.

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Law Profession Pointed Out Two Government “Zero-COVID” Measures Violate the Law

Source: Radio Free Asia, May 12, 2022
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/shehui/rc-05122022105724.htnml

Hot Topics | | |   Government/Politics Social Stability

Leadership: “Unwaveringly Adhere to the Zero-COVID Policy”

Xi Jinping hosted the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) Politburo Standing Committee meeting on May 5, 2022, to discuss the COVID strategy. People’s Daily reported that the meeting called for continuing Xi Jinping’s “Zero-COVID” strategy, unswervingly adhering to the general policy of “dynamically zeroing out” and resolutely fighting against words and deeds that distort, doubt, and deny our epidemic prevention policies.

The article said, “Practice has proved that our prevention and control policy is determined by the Party’s nature and purpose, our prevention and control policy has stood up in history, and our prevention and control measures are scientific and effective. We have won the Wuhan battle and we will definitely win the battle of Shanghai.” (Editor’s note: It might be a stretch to say that the COVID policy is determined by “the Party’s nature and purpose.” However, it indicates that whether to follow the “Zero-COVID” policy is whether to align oneself with the party. Thus the people who suggest to stop “Zero-COVID” and switch to coexisting with the virus are taking a wrong path from the Party.)

On May 7, The CCP Central Commission on Discipline Inspections supported this decision by publishing a commentary titled, “Deeply, Completely, and Comprehensively Understand the COVID Prevention and Control Policies Set by the Party Central Committee.”

The military also supported Xi’s position. On May 7, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Daily also published a commentary, titled “Unwaveringly adhere to the ‘dynamic zeroing out’ general policy.”

Related postings on Chinascope:

Sources:
1. People’s Daily, May 6, 2022
http://dangjian.people.com.cn/n1/2022/0506/c117092-32415128.html
2. CCP Central Commission on Discipline Inspection website, May 7, 2022
https://www.ccdi.gov.cn/toutiaon/202205/t20220507_190977_m.html
3. PLA Daily, May 7, 2022
http://www.81.cn/jfjbmap/content/2022-05/07/content_314989.htm

Hot Topics | | |   Government/Politics Social Stability

Public Opinion: Law Profession Pointed Out: Two Government “Zero-COVID” Measures Violate the Law

Tong Zhiwei, a Professor of Constitutional Law, East China University of Political Science and Law in Shanghai, published on social media that two of the government’s “Zero-COVID” measures are illegal. He said that he had consulted over 20 professors from his university, Fudan University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, South China University of Technology, Wuhan University, Hubei University, and Peking University, before publishing the article.

The first government practice that he stated violated the law is to forcibly take residents to modular hospitals or other facilities for quarantine. That practice should be stopped right away. The authorities’ justification for the force-taking is the claim that Shanghai is in an emergency state. However, according to the Constitution, any organization or officials in Shanghai do not have the legal right to declare an emergency state for Shanghai.

The second illegal government practice is to force residents to hand in the keys to their homes so that the authorities can go inside to spray chemicals to kill the COVID virus. According to the law, citizen’s homes are inviolable. An illegal search or illegal intrusion into the homes of citizens is prohibited.

Source: Epoch Times, May 8, 2022
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/22/5/8/n13730561.htm

Hot Topics | | |   Government/Politics Social Stability

Zero-Covid Policy – No Sign of Changing Course

As more cities in China brace for a possible lockdown, the Chinese Communist leadership shows no sign of changing the course of its zero-COVID policy.

On May 6, the CCP in Shanghai held a mobilization meeting to, “Resolutely Win the Great Shanghai Defense War.” The CCP Shanghai Secretary Li Qiang asked “military orders to be issued at every level.” Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng requested that every building, street and door must be checked in Pudong New District, Xuhui District, and Minhang District so that not one household is missed. The Mayor of Pudong New Area ordered that “even if one is smashed, he must complete the task.” Experts believe that this move was driven by political considerations and has no bearing on public health.

On May 7, CCP Shanghai Secretary Li Qiang inspected Jiading District. He reiterated the rhetoric. “The top priority is to reduce new cases and prevent rebound.” He called on people to “grit their teeth, stick it out, and resolutely win the battle of Shanghai’s defense.”

On the same day, the Xuhui District issued an emergency notice. From May 1 through 15, all residents must stay at home except for going out to have COVID testing. The community will stop accepting group purchases and express delivery. If a resident has placed an order, he must cancel or postpone the delivery time until after May 15. In addition, the authorities will suspend food distribution for those who do not participate in the COVID testing of them. The neighborhood committee will no longer issue exit permits to anyone to leave the community.

Earlier, a neighborhood committee in Pudong District issued a notice stating that it had received an order from above that if one has tested positive, all the residents on the entire floor would become “positive contacts” and “all the residents above and below the floor where the positive case occurs will be transferred and quarantined.”

Source: Epoch Times, May 8, 2022

https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/22/5/8/n13729974.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics Social Stability