UK says Beijing should 'take notice' of anti-lockdown protests

British foreign secretary James Cleverly said the Chinese government should pay attention to the ongoing anti-lockdown protests taking place in the country. This comes as Beijing’s zero-COVID policy has sparked demonstrations domestically and abroad.

Speaking to reporters Monday, Cleverly said that Beijing should pay attention to the demonstrations taking place on its soil against its strict zero-COVID policy and Beijing’s restrictions on people’s freedoms.

The demonstrations were sparked by a fire that took place in Xinjiang province, killing 10 people who were trapped in their apartments. The protesters said the zero-COVID measures were partly responsible for their deaths, but authorities denied the claim.

“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,” said Cleverly.

“It’s clear that the Chinese people themselves are deeply unhappy with what is going on, about the restrictions imposed upon them by the Chinese government,” Cleverly added. “These are the voices of the Chinese people talking to their government and I think it’s right that the Chinese government listens to what those people are saying.”

The United States also weighed in on the ongoing protests that have been taking place in China, with demonstrations overseas showing support for the protesters. The White House National Security Council said in a statement that Washington believed it would be difficult for China to keep COVID-19 under control but that everyone has the right to peacefully protest, including the Chinese people.

Friday last week, Cleverly unveiled additional assistance to Ukraine during his visit to Kyiv. Cleverly met with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and said that the UK “stands shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine.” Cleverly reiterated the United Kingdom’s continuing support for Ukraine in the war.

“I’ve seen here first-hand how the UK’s efforts are helping brave citizens to resist and rebuild. Our support will continue for as long as it takes for this remarkable country to recover,” said Cleverly.

Cleverly’s visit came the day before the visit by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to Kyiv. During his visit, Sunak vowed to continue providing aid to Ukraine just as his predecessors Boris Johnson and Liz Truss have done.