Chinese diplomat tells students in UK to ‘resist distorting’ China’s Zero Covid policies

A Chinese diplomat on Thursday asked the Chinese students in Britain to “resist distorting and discrediting” China’s controversial Zero Covid policies. He was involved in the incidence of violence against pro-democracy protesters in Manchester. Lyndon Lee, 23, a second-year law student at the University of York said, according to the Guardian newspaper, that the remarks made by China’s consul general in Manchester, Zheng Xiyuan, at a symposium to discuss the work of international students were exceedingly threatening. The diplomat was filmed in October using coercion and violence against Bob Chan, a protester, whom he had dragged to the floor of the consulate and beaten so profusely that the protester needed medical intervention. 

The law student was quoted narrating the Chinese diplomat's account, as: “Students are invited to fully understand and believe in the great significance behind every decision made by the party and the government, and consciously resist distorting and discrediting China’s epidemic prevention and control policies, so as to jointly win this regular epidemic prevention and control battle."

Students labelled Zheng’s remarks made in the UK as questionable. “It is put as a request but that is not how things work in China. It is threatening. They should not be trying to influence the way international students act, to tell them what to do and say. Where is the freedom of expression?” Lee told Guardian.

Chinese students demonstrating solidarity with those at home

The protests in the UK by the Chinese citizens were aimed at demonstrating solidarity with those at home who flooded the streets of Beijing to condemn China's draconian zero covid rules. In the US among other countries, Chinese nationals gathered and lit candles and shouted “Free China!” just two blocks from the White House. They called to end Xi Jinping's regime as they slammed the severe anti-virus controls that deprived the Chinese of normalcy. About 200 protesters flooded the Freedom Plaza with placards that read, “No Dictatorship, No Censorship." They angrily demanded that President Xi Jinping and the ruling Communist Party must be ousted. Many also yelled, “Free China!”

Protests in China first erupted on Nov. 25 after at least 10 people died in a fire in Urumqi, a city in China’s northwest due to quarantine.  Firefighters or people trying to escape were suspected to have been blocked by anti-virus controls, which claimed many lives and subsequently sparked nationwide protests.  The anti covid protests also gained traction for spilling public frustration with Xi Jinping's tough curbs and lockdowns that confined millions of people to their homes.