The Chinese government has decided to implement the highest “emergency response” level of censorship in the wake of the Covid protests, according to leaked directives accessed by AFP.&nbsp;According to the news agency, the government is expected to restrict VPNs and any other methods of bypassing the online censorship. 
 
Social media platforms like Weibo and WeChat have become the preferred move of communication for protesters and although the Chinese authorities have kept a tight watch of them, users have found a way to access foreign sites through VPNs.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/emmanuel-macron-calls-for-us-france-to-be-brothers-in-arms-during-white-house-visit-539216">Macron, Biden pledge to hold Russia accountable for 'war crimes'</a>

The directive reportedly shows a spike in the number of people trying to go past the “Great Firewall” that allows the government to monitor all online activity. According to the translation provided by the China Digital Times, the directive speaks about the concerns of the government at present and initiates the “Level I Internet Emergency Response, the highest level of content management”.

It adds that the authorities are looking to take a “hands-on approach” when it comes to content management and the main objective will be to quickly find and identify mentions of what they referred to as “offline disturbances” and “recent high-profile events in various provinces”.

“The incident on November 24 triggered expressions of various grievances,” it said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-ukraine-crisis-upto-13000-ukrainian-soldiers-killed-since-invasion-claims-zelenskys-adviser-539308">Upto 13,000 Ukraine troops killed since Russia invasion: Zelensky's adviser&nbsp;</a>

The incident mentioned in the directive was the building fire in Urumqi which claimed the lives of 10 people and was one of the main reasons behind the widespread protests in China.

“Pernicious political slogans appeared in Shanghai; college and university students held conspicuous political gatherings; smears by foreign media increased; and various websites have strengthened their content management,” the directive listed as examples of incidents that need to be controlled.

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The Chinese government has decided to implement the highest “emergency response” level of censorship in the wake of the Covid protests, according to leaked directives accessed by AFP.

The Chinese government has decided to implement the highest “emergency response” level of censorship in the wake of the Covid protests, according to leaked directives accessed by AFP. According to the news agency, the government is expected to restrict VPNs and any other methods of bypassing the online censorship. Social media platforms like Weibo and WeChat have become the preferred move of communication for protesters and although the Chinese authorities have kept a tight watch of them, users have found a way to access foreign sites through VPNs. Also read | Macron, Biden pledge to hold Russia accountable for 'war crimes' The directive reportedly shows a spike in the number of people trying to go past the “Great Firewall” that allows the government to monitor all online activity. According to the translation provided by the China Digital Times, the directive speaks about the concerns of the government at present and initiates the “Level I Internet Emergency Response, the highest level of content management”. It adds that the authorities are looking to take a “hands-on approach” when it comes to content management and the main objective will be to quickly find and identify mentions of what they referred to as “offline disturbances” and “recent high-profile events in various provinces”. “The incident on November 24 triggered expressions of various grievances,” it said. Also read | Upto 13,000 Ukraine troops killed since Russia invasion: Zelensky's adviser The incident mentioned in the directive was the building fire in Urumqi which claimed the lives of 10 people and was one of the main reasons behind the widespread protests in China. “Pernicious political slogans appeared in Shanghai; college and university students held conspicuous political gatherings; smears by foreign media increased; and various websites have strengthened their content management,” the directive listed as examples of incidents that need to be controlled.

China to implement ‘emergency’ level censorship over zero-Covid protests: Report

The United States and Canada have requested China to not use force against the protesters opposing the latest set of lockdowns imposed by the Communist Party of China as part of the Zero Covid policy. With citizens showing dissent in various parts of the country, the top security body in China has&nbsp;already urged the government to launch a “crackdown” on “hostile forces”.

According to video footage, which was verified by AFP, the police clashed with protesters in the city of Guangzhou. The video showed that security personnel in hazmat suits were present in the city’s Haizhu district on Tuesday and screams of people could be heard in the background. It also showed objects being thrown at the police and many people were detained by the authorities.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/europes-import-of-russian-lng-jumps-42-amid-russia-ukraine-war-report-538720">Europe's import of Russian LNG jumps 42% amid Russia-Ukraine war: Report</a>

In response to this incident, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said that China should allow people to protest peacefully and not use violence to stop the demonstrations.

“We don’t want to see protesters physically harmed, intimidated or coerced in any way. That’s what peaceful protest is all about and that’s what we have continued to stand up for whether it’s in China or Iran or elsewhere around the world,” he said in an interview with CNN.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/scott-morrison-becomes-the-first-former-pm-to-be-censured-by-the-australian-parliament-538686">Scott Morrison becomes the first former PM to be censured by the parliament</a>

Canada also took a similar stance regarding the topic and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that the Chinese government should not curb the freedom of expression when it comes to the people.

“Everyone in China should be allowed to express themselves, should be allowed to share their perspectives and indeed protest,” Trudeau said. “We’re going to continue to ensure that China knows we’ll stand up for human rights, we’ll stand with people who are expressing themselves.”

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The United States and Canada have requested China to not use force against the protesters opposing the latest set of lockdowns imposed by the Communist Party of China as part of the Zero Covid policy.

The United States and Canada have requested China to not use force against the protesters opposing the latest set of lockdowns imposed by the Communist Party of China as part of the Zero Covid policy. With citizens showing dissent in various parts of the country, the top security body in China has already urged the government to launch a “crackdown” on “hostile forces”. According to video footage, which was verified by AFP, the police clashed with protesters in the city of Guangzhou. The video showed that security personnel in hazmat suits were present in the city’s Haizhu district on Tuesday and screams of people could be heard in the background. It also showed objects being thrown at the police and many people were detained by the authorities. Also read | Europe's import of Russian LNG jumps 42% amid Russia-Ukraine war: Report In response to this incident, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said that China should allow people to protest peacefully and not use violence to stop the demonstrations. “We don’t want to see protesters physically harmed, intimidated or coerced in any way. That’s what peaceful protest is all about and that’s what we have continued to stand up for whether it’s in China or Iran or elsewhere around the world,” he said in an interview with CNN. Also read | Scott Morrison becomes the first former PM to be censured by the parliament Canada also took a similar stance regarding the topic and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that the Chinese government should not curb the freedom of expression when it comes to the people. “Everyone in China should be allowed to express themselves, should be allowed to share their perspectives and indeed protest,” Trudeau said. “We’re going to continue to ensure that China knows we’ll stand up for human rights, we’ll stand with people who are expressing themselves.”

US and Canada urge China not to use force for stopping protests against stringent Covid curbs

Amid the ongoing protests across China against the country’s stringent zero Covid policy and restrictions, the situation escalated in the manufacturing hub&nbsp;Guangzhou’s Haizhu district where protesters clashed with the police&nbsp;late Tuesday. Several videos, verified by Reuters, also show several people being detained by the police.&nbsp;

In one of the videos, dozens of hazmat-suited riot police were seen holding shields at the front as well as others holding them over their heads to create a barrier and march towards the protesters who were throwing things at them. Several lockdown barriers were seen broken as police moved past them.&nbsp; 
 
Another clip showed demonstrators throwing things at the police. According to Reuters, a third clip showed canisters of tear gas being thrown at the police and landing in the middle of a small crowd in a narrow lane and people running away from the fumes. While the cause of this escalation remains unclear, Guangzhou is one of the hardest-hit cities with the latest wave of Covid-19 infections in China.&nbsp;

Over the weekend and on Monday, some major cities including Shanghai and Beijing witnessed thousands of protesters taking to the streets to express their anger and frustration over lockdowns, daily Covid tests and other restrictions in line with China’s zero-Covid policy.&nbsp;

Social media posts said the clashes took place on Tuesday night and were caused by a disagreement over pandemic-induced lockdown restrictions in the district. Furthermore, the report said that rows of people in handcuffs were seen being escorted to an undisclosed location.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, in a statement, the country’s Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission said it will crack down on the “hostile forces” for their activities of infiltration and sabotage in China, late Tuesday.&nbsp;

Due to the country’s heavy censorship, it is unclear how many cities witnessed protests. However, a United States government-funded Freedom House’s China Dissent Monitor estimates at least 27 demonstrations took place from Saturday to Monday across the country.&nbsp; 
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Amid the ongoing protests across China against the country’s stringent zero Covid policy and restrictions, the situation escalated in the manufacturing hub Guangzhou’s Haizhu district where protesters clashed with the police late Tuesday.

Amid the ongoing protests across China against the country’s stringent zero Covid policy and restrictions, the situation escalated in the manufacturing hub Guangzhou’s Haizhu district where protesters clashed with the police late Tuesday. Several videos, verified by Reuters, also show several people being detained by the police. In one of the videos, dozens of hazmat-suited riot police were seen holding shields at the front as well as others holding them over their heads to create a barrier and march towards the protesters who were throwing things at them. Several lockdown barriers were seen broken as police moved past them. Another clip showed demonstrators throwing things at the police. According to Reuters, a third clip showed canisters of tear gas being thrown at the police and landing in the middle of a small crowd in a narrow lane and people running away from the fumes. While the cause of this escalation remains unclear, Guangzhou is one of the hardest-hit cities with the latest wave of Covid-19 infections in China. Over the weekend and on Monday, some major cities including Shanghai and Beijing witnessed thousands of protesters taking to the streets to express their anger and frustration over lockdowns, daily Covid tests and other restrictions in line with China’s zero-Covid policy. Social media posts said the clashes took place on Tuesday night and were caused by a disagreement over pandemic-induced lockdown restrictions in the district. Furthermore, the report said that rows of people in handcuffs were seen being escorted to an undisclosed location. Meanwhile, in a statement, the country’s Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission said it will crack down on the “hostile forces” for their activities of infiltration and sabotage in China, late Tuesday. Due to the country’s heavy censorship, it is unclear how many cities witnessed protests. However, a United States government-funded Freedom House’s China Dissent Monitor estimates at least 27 demonstrations took place from Saturday to Monday across the country. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Covid protests escalate in China’s Guangzhou, hazmat-suited riot police clash with demonstrators

In what is being seeing as a deliberate attempt by China to prevent people from accessing information about the Covid protests, Twitter searches for the uprising are throwing up pornography, spam and even gibberish. Images of scantily clad women in suggestive poses and random word- and sentence fragments were being returned when a search was conducted for the protests in Chinese.

This has been happening since last week when people searched for protests at major hotspots, including in Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, and Guangzhou. Experts say that this has been the case for most major issues in China at the moment.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/police-force-takes-over-the-streets-of-china-to-prevent-covid-demonstrations-538372">Police force takes over the streets of China to prevent Covid demonstrations</a>

“It is happening not just around Xinjiang but around any sensitive Chinese issue at the moment,” Charlie Smith, the pseudonymous co-founder of GreatFire.org, a digital activism group based in China, told CNN. “Search any city that has seen a rise in Covid cases, or had on-the-street protests on the weekend, and you will see the same thing.”

Smith also noted that a flood of “dating” spam tweets were appearing on Friday tagged with “Urumqi,” the capital of Xinjiang. Since China came down hard on pornography and other similar sites years ago when it began to censor the internet, the spam tweets advertising sex services don't seem to be the work of random, private individuals.

China has been witnessing unprecedented protests against the country's Covid policies, with people coming out onto the streets. The apartment fire in Urumqi that killed 10 people, is what sparked the protests.

Disinformation amidst China protests are the first big test for Twitter ever since Elon Musk took hold of the reins. Most of these account are bot accounts that were made months back, have no followers and follow almost no one.&nbsp;

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Musk has vowed to work to remove bots and spammers from the platform, something he has had a problem with since the beginning. However, now that he has cut half the workforce, including those responsible for maintaining security, disinformation and content moderation have become a matter of concern.

US lawmakers fear that Twitter is vulnerable to being exploited by certain forces. Musk is also linked to China through his electric-vehicle company Tesla and lawmakers have been unsure about his willingness to stand up to the Chinese government. Meanwhile, Musk has said that as far as he knows, China does not interfere with the US media.

(With inputs from agencies)

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In what is being seeing as a deliberate attempt by China to prevent people from accessing information about the Covid protests, Twitter searches for the uprising are throwing up pornography, spam and even gibberish.

In what is being seeing as a deliberate attempt by China to prevent people from accessing information about the Covid protests, Twitter searches for the uprising are throwing up pornography, spam and even gibberish. Images of scantily clad women in suggestive poses and random word- and sentence fragments were being returned when a search was conducted for the protests in Chinese. This has been happening since last week when people searched for protests at major hotspots, including in Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, and Guangzhou. Experts say that this has been the case for most major issues in China at the moment. Also Read | Police force takes over the streets of China to prevent Covid demonstrations “It is happening not just around Xinjiang but around any sensitive Chinese issue at the moment,” Charlie Smith, the pseudonymous co-founder of GreatFire.org, a digital activism group based in China, told CNN. “Search any city that has seen a rise in Covid cases, or had on-the-street protests on the weekend, and you will see the same thing.” Smith also noted that a flood of “dating” spam tweets were appearing on Friday tagged with “Urumqi,” the capital of Xinjiang. Since China came down hard on pornography and other similar sites years ago when it began to censor the internet, the spam tweets advertising sex services don't seem to be the work of random, private individuals. China has been witnessing unprecedented protests against the country's Covid policies, with people coming out onto the streets. The apartment fire in Urumqi that killed 10 people, is what sparked the protests. Disinformation amidst China protests are the first big test for Twitter ever since Elon Musk took hold of the reins. Most of these account are bot accounts that were made months back, have no followers and follow almost no one. × Musk has vowed to work to remove bots and spammers from the platform, something he has had a problem with since the beginning. However, now that he has cut half the workforce, including those responsible for maintaining security, disinformation and content moderation have become a matter of concern. US lawmakers fear that Twitter is vulnerable to being exploited by certain forces. Musk is also linked to China through his electric-vehicle company Tesla and lawmakers have been unsure about his willingness to stand up to the Chinese government. Meanwhile, Musk has said that as far as he knows, China does not interfere with the US media. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Govt bot offensive? Twitter searches on China Covid protests return porn and spam

Just over a month ago, Xi Jinping paraded his team of loyalists picked from among top officials of China to signal his complete grip on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the government. Each of the seven members of the politburo standing committee -- the topmost decision-making body in the country -- were his allies, making him the most powerful president in China's history.

It would have been unthinkable at that point to foresee anyone raising even a finger against him, let alone call for his resignation. But that is exactly what happened as protests flare up in different parts of the country over Beijing's severe Zero Covid policies. 
&nbsp; 
In Shanghai, protesters called for Xi and CCP to step down. In Tsinghua university in China people called for democracy and rule of law. Chinese students studying abroad also echoed these cries during protests in Australia and Britain. 
 
"It’s unbelievable 33 years after Tiananmen Square movement such slogans could be shouted out loudly," tweeted Vivian Wu, former Beijing bureau head of BBC and chief editor of Chinese news website Intium.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/protests-in-china-over-covid-restrictions-police-in-shanghai-drag-and-detain-demonstrators-537991">Several detained in Shanghai as protests intensify in the country</a> 
 
Protests demanding an end to draconian Covid restrictions are being reported from several places like Xian, Nanjing, Chongqing, Chengdu, Wuhan and others. Intium said protests have erupted in 79 universities across 15 provinces. 
 
Protests happen often in China, but mostly over local issues or against private sector companies. Rarely does the country witness mass protests targeting top officials in Beijing or the Communist Party. Nor is it common to see protests break out in several provinces at the same time over a common cause. 
 
What sparked the current protests was the fire in Urumqi where at least 10 people died in a building which was under lockdown. Local reports say people could not leave the building despite the raging blaze while fire engines could not reach the scene as officials had blockaded the way with vehicles to isolate the building. 
 
Urumqi is the capital of Xinjiang province where over a million Uighur Muslims have been kept in reorientation camps by the local administration. Reports about this have never evoked anger or protests in other parts of China as the society usually looks the other way when it is a matter involving state policy and carry on with their life. 
 
That’s all in the past now. The frustrations and uncertainty that the pandemic has brought in, coupled with its effect on local economies, have been mounting for a while. Hopes that Beijing will ease some of its restrictions after the party congress were quickly dashed and state media has doubled down on continuing such measures.

 
Xi himself had spoken about the need to steel up and continue the fight against the virus, virtually making the Zero Covid policy his signature campaign. The reappointment of Xi for a third term has made it clear that top-down administration will continue, and the local provinces will have no say in policies. In fact, regional authorities compete to make the clampdown as severe as possible. 
 
The despair of the people is leading to a rising anger as they see the rest of the world opening up and beginning to function normally despite the virus continuing to infect people. Realising this, the state media has now started to avoid showing crowd shots during the telecast of World Cup Football and replace it with close-up shots of players and the bench. 
 
Chinese bots have also flooded the domestic internet with promotion messages of call girls, making it difficult for people to find what is happening in different parts of the world. By Monday, it had spread to Twitter to make it difficult for the overseas Chinese also. 
 
Unlike earlier protests, this has not suppressed the demands for change in Covid isolation policies. More surprisingly, it has been morphing into a demand for democracy and freedom, at a time when the CCP is telling the world that their governance system is more effective than those practised in democratic countries.

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Watching the video of protests happening in various parts of China, one cannot but recall the similarities between what happened in Hong Kong in 2019. The protests were often led by youngsters, universities became platforms of dissent and demonstrators used the same ingenious methods as holding up blank papers instead of banners, prompting some to dub it as A4 protests. 
 
The question now is - can Beijing use the same ham-fisted tactics they used in Hong Kong to quell this rising anger in China? In 1989, when student-led protesters amassed in Tiananmen Square, the communist party leaders had no qualms in using brute force to end the protests which called for democracy and freedom. Can China pull it off again at an age where social media makes it difficult to stop the flow of information? 
 
It all looked under control for Xi when he unveiled the new party leadership before the world last month, but a few weeks hence, the man who promised to make China the topmost nation in the world is facing the biggest political challenge of his career, that too one that has grown organically.&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)&nbsp;

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Just over a month ago, Xi Jinping paraded his team of loyalists picked from among top officials of China to signal his complete grip on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the government.

Just over a month ago, Xi Jinping paraded his team of loyalists picked from among top officials of China to signal his complete grip on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the government. Each of the seven members of the politburo standing committee -- the topmost decision-making body in the country -- were his allies, making him the most powerful president in China's history. It would have been unthinkable at that point to foresee anyone raising even a finger against him, let alone call for his resignation. But that is exactly what happened as protests flare up in different parts of the country over Beijing's severe Zero Covid policies. In Shanghai, protesters called for Xi and CCP to step down. In Tsinghua university in China people called for democracy and rule of law. Chinese students studying abroad also echoed these cries during protests in Australia and Britain. "It’s unbelievable 33 years after Tiananmen Square movement such slogans could be shouted out loudly," tweeted Vivian Wu, former Beijing bureau head of BBC and chief editor of Chinese news website Intium. Also Read | Several detained in Shanghai as protests intensify in the country Protests demanding an end to draconian Covid restrictions are being reported from several places like Xian, Nanjing, Chongqing, Chengdu, Wuhan and others. Intium said protests have erupted in 79 universities across 15 provinces. Protests happen often in China, but mostly over local issues or against private sector companies. Rarely does the country witness mass protests targeting top officials in Beijing or the Communist Party. Nor is it common to see protests break out in several provinces at the same time over a common cause. What sparked the current protests was the fire in Urumqi where at least 10 people died in a building which was under lockdown. Local reports say people could not leave the building despite the raging blaze while fire engines could not reach the scene as officials had blockaded the way with vehicles to isolate the building. Urumqi is the capital of Xinjiang province where over a million Uighur Muslims have been kept in reorientation camps by the local administration. Reports about this have never evoked anger or protests in other parts of China as the society usually looks the other way when it is a matter involving state policy and carry on with their life. That’s all in the past now. The frustrations and uncertainty that the pandemic has brought in, coupled with its effect on local economies, have been mounting for a while. Hopes that Beijing will ease some of its restrictions after the party congress were quickly dashed and state media has doubled down on continuing such measures. Xi himself had spoken about the need to steel up and continue the fight against the virus, virtually making the Zero Covid policy his signature campaign. The reappointment of Xi for a third term has made it clear that top-down administration will continue, and the local provinces will have no say in policies. In fact, regional authorities compete to make the clampdown as severe as possible. The despair of the people is leading to a rising anger as they see the rest of the world opening up and beginning to function normally despite the virus continuing to infect people. Realising this, the state media has now started to avoid showing crowd shots during the telecast of World Cup Football and replace it with close-up shots of players and the bench. Chinese bots have also flooded the domestic internet with promotion messages of call girls, making it difficult for people to find what is happening in different parts of the world. By Monday, it had spread to Twitter to make it difficult for the overseas Chinese also. Unlike earlier protests, this has not suppressed the demands for change in Covid isolation policies. More surprisingly, it has been morphing into a demand for democracy and freedom, at a time when the CCP is telling the world that their governance system is more effective than those practised in democratic countries. × Watching the video of protests happening in various parts of China, one cannot but recall the similarities between what happened in Hong Kong in 2019. The protests were often led by youngsters, universities became platforms of dissent and demonstrators used the same ingenious methods as holding up blank papers instead of banners, prompting some to dub it as A4 protests. The question now is - can Beijing use the same ham-fisted tactics they used in Hong Kong to quell this rising anger in China? In 1989, when student-led protesters amassed in Tiananmen Square, the communist party leaders had no qualms in using brute force to end the protests which called for democracy and freedom. Can China pull it off again at an age where social media makes it difficult to stop the flow of information? It all looked under control for Xi when he unveiled the new party leadership before the world last month, but a few weeks hence, the man who promised to make China the topmost nation in the world is facing the biggest political challenge of his career, that too one that has grown organically. (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Xi's toughest test yet?

As protests aimed at Covid curbs spread across China, the country has now blamed "forces with ulterior motives" for linking the deadly fire in Urumqi to strict Covid measures. Notably, protests flared in the country after an apartment fire in the city left 10 dead on Thursday. Speculations were rife that people could not be rescued in time because of the strict Covid curbs in the city, parts of which had been under lockdown for 100 days. However, officials have denied that there is any link between the two.

In response to a question at a regular press briefing about the disaster, foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said, "On social media there are forces with ulterior motives that relate this fire with the local response to Covid-19."&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/protests-in-china-over-covid-restrictions-police-in-shanghai-drag-and-detain-demonstrators-537991">Several detained in Shanghai as anti-Covid lockdown protests rage in China</a>

Meanwhile, Shanghai authorities tightened restrictions and put up barriers on Monday around a city centre area where hundreds of people protested over the weekend. The entire country has been engulfed by protests as China continues to follow a strict zero-Covid policy, a show of civil disobedience unprecedented since leader Xi Jinping assumed power a decade ago.

"We hope to end the lockdown," 28-year-old Shi told Reuters at a candlelight vigil in Beijing late on Sunday. "We want to live a normal life. We should all bravely express our feelings."

Even though the curbs have meant&nbsp;that China has managed to keep its official death toll in the thousands, compared with more than a million in the United States, and elsewhere in the world, the citizens have suffered due to being confined at home. The country's economy has taken a hit as well.&nbsp;

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Police in Shanghai on Sunday dragged and detained people who were protesting against strict restrictions. People were seen singing the national anthem as they gathered in the streets of Shanghai.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, China reported the fifth straight daily record of 40,347 new COVID-19 infections on November 27, of which 3,822 were symptomatic and 36,525 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission said on Monday.

Since the cases continue to rise, abandoning the Covid policy will risk overwhelming the health system and lead to widespread illness and deaths, experts say.

Global markets were also in a sombre mood on Monday, sending oil prices lower and the dollar higher, with Chinese stocks and the yuan falling sharply. Chinese state media is not talking about the protests and has urged citizens in editorials to stick to COVID rules.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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As protests aimed at Covid curbs spread across China, the country has now blamed "forces with ulterior motives" for linking the deadly fire in Urumqi to strict Covid measures.

As protests aimed at Covid curbs spread across China, the country has now blamed "forces with ulterior motives" for linking the deadly fire in Urumqi to strict Covid measures. Notably, protests flared in the country after an apartment fire in the city left 10 dead on Thursday. Speculations were rife that people could not be rescued in time because of the strict Covid curbs in the city, parts of which had been under lockdown for 100 days. However, officials have denied that there is any link between the two. In response to a question at a regular press briefing about the disaster, foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said, "On social media there are forces with ulterior motives that relate this fire with the local response to Covid-19." Also Read | Several detained in Shanghai as anti-Covid lockdown protests rage in China Meanwhile, Shanghai authorities tightened restrictions and put up barriers on Monday around a city centre area where hundreds of people protested over the weekend. The entire country has been engulfed by protests as China continues to follow a strict zero-Covid policy, a show of civil disobedience unprecedented since leader Xi Jinping assumed power a decade ago. "We hope to end the lockdown," 28-year-old Shi told Reuters at a candlelight vigil in Beijing late on Sunday. "We want to live a normal life. We should all bravely express our feelings." Even though the curbs have meant that China has managed to keep its official death toll in the thousands, compared with more than a million in the United States, and elsewhere in the world, the citizens have suffered due to being confined at home. The country's economy has taken a hit as well. × Police in Shanghai on Sunday dragged and detained people who were protesting against strict restrictions. People were seen singing the national anthem as they gathered in the streets of Shanghai. Meanwhile, China reported the fifth straight daily record of 40,347 new COVID-19 infections on November 27, of which 3,822 were symptomatic and 36,525 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission said on Monday. Since the cases continue to rise, abandoning the Covid policy will risk overwhelming the health system and lead to widespread illness and deaths, experts say. Global markets were also in a sombre mood on Monday, sending oil prices lower and the dollar higher, with Chinese stocks and the yuan falling sharply. Chinese state media is not talking about the protests and has urged citizens in editorials to stick to COVID rules. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Beijing blames 'forces with ulterior motives' for fuelling rage in the country