Research, editing : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA
News on aviation management, disease control, U.S., CCP, Myanmar
News (1)
South Korean government lifts global travel warning from 14 April 2022
Image of South Korea international flight : Researcher's Picture
According to Yonhap News Agency, South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on the 13th that considering the changes in the government’s anti-epidemic policy and the global epidemic trend, the special travel warning that is generally restricted worldwide will be fully lifted from 14 April 2022, and the country-specific travel warning system that has been adapted to local conditions will be restored.
Specifically, the government lowered the travel warning issued by 22 countries including Singapore, Canada, Australia and the Netherlands, as well as Guam and Saipan to the first level (pay attention to safety). The travel warning of 26 countries and regions including China and Russia was maintained to the second level (travel with caution). Countries and regions that have issued travel warning levels 3 (recommend evacuation) and 4 (no travel) are not affected by this adjustment measure.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs first issued a special global travel warning on 23 March 2020, and the deadline has been extended month by month since then. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs plans to discuss whether to adjust the travel warning level of various regions on a quarterly basis.
News (2)
Myanmar resumes international commercial flights
Image : Researcher's Picture
On 17 April 2022, Myanmar National Airlines resumes international commercial flights to the world including Singapore while Myanmar Airways International resumes the same flights to Singapore on 21 April 2022.
News (3)
Local surge of "874 people" broke a new record, 108 overseas, 0 deaths
Editor : Wang Sichun / https://news.tvbs.com.tw/life/1766356
The local epidemic in Taiwan has exploded in series, and the cumulative number of confirmed cases in the past two weeks has exceeded 4,500. Just on 13 April 2022, an additional 744 people were infected. There are doctors who say that Taiwan will go the way of natural infection in the future, but there are still many people who worry about whether their elders or young children will be left with related sequelae if they are infected. The Central Epidemic Command Center said on 14 April that there were 874 new local confirmed cases and 0 deaths, and an additional 108 imported cases.
The command centre calls on the public to implement personal protective measures such as hand hygiene, cough etiquette and wearing masks, reduce unnecessary movement, activities or gatherings, avoid entering and exiting crowded places, or areas with high risk of infection transmission, and actively cooperate with them. Various epidemic prevention measures are taken to jointly strictly guard the community defense line.
News (4)
India's first self-produced Dornier 228 aircraft begins commercial service
Image courtesy : The Economic Times
The first made-in-India Dornier 228 aircraft has begun commercial service with Alliance Air, a subsidiary of Air India. The plane began the first service on the Dibrugarh-Pasighat route on 12 April 2022.
Alliance Air receives its first Dornier 228 aircraft delivery on 7 April 2022 from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, which it signed an agreement in February 2022 to lease two Dornier 228 aircraft.
Regular scheduled flights begin on 18 April 2022 on the Dibrugarh-Pasighat-Lilabari-Dibrugarh routes. The services will be expanded to cover Tezu, Mechuka, Ziro and Tuting from the hub Dibrugarh Mohanpur Airport of Assam in Arunachal Pradesh.
News (5)
The new Valneva vaccine in the UK
Reporter : Emily Craig / https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10717945/Valnevas-Covid-vaccine-gets-approved-use-UK-No10-cancelled-1-2billion-contract.html
Valneva's covi vaccine has become the sixth to be approved in the UK.
The UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the first in the world to green-light the two-dose vaccine, said it is safe and effective in 18 to 50-year-olds.
The injection is the only approved covi jab to use an inactivated covi to trigger an immune response, meaning it triggers an immune response without causing an infection.
News (6)
Elon Musk tries to buy Twitter for $41 billion
Reporter : Jonathan Rose, Daily Mail / https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10718427/Elon-Musk-tries-buy-Twitter-41billion-Tesla-CEO-offers-54-20-share.html, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10718427/Elon-Musk-tries-buy-Twitter-41billion-Tesla-CEO-offers-54-20-share.html
Billionaire Elon Musk has offered to buy Twitter for $41.39 billion, a regulatory filing showed on Thursday.
Musk's offer price of $54.20 per share represents a 38 percent premium to the closing price of Twitter's stock on April 1, the last trading day before the Tesla CEO's over 9 percent investment in the company was publicly announced.
The outspoken Tesla CEO, known for his social media antics, told Bret Taylor, the Chairman of the Board, "I invested in Twitter as I believe in its potential to be the platform for free speech around the globe, and I believe free speech is a societal imperative for a functioning democracy.
"However, since making my investment I now realize the company will neither thrive nor serve this societal imperative in its current form. Twitter needs to be transformed as a private company.
"As a result, I am offering to buy 100 percent of Twitter for $54.20 per share in cash, a 54% premium over the day before I began investing in Twitter and a 38 percent premium over the day before my investment was publicly announced.
"My offer is my best and final offer and if it is not accepted, I would need to reconsider my position as a shareholder.
"Twitter has extraordinary potential. I will unlock it."
It comes after analysts have speculated that Elon Musk's roller coaster journey as Twitter's largest shareholder could be part of a ploy to stage a hostile take-over of the company.
News (7) to (10) / Reporter : Luo Tingting / Editor: Wen Hui / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2022/04/14/a103399938.html
Xi Jinping's iron-fisted zero-covid policy, Li Keqiang does not wear a mask, the signal in Zhongnanhai is abnormal
Image : From 11 to 12 April 2022, Li Keqiang visited Nanchang and Shangrao in Jiangxi Province and did not wear a mask throughout the process. (Video Screenshot)
The epidemic broke out in China, and Xi Jinping insisted on clearing his iron fist, but Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, uncharacteristically, did not wear a mask and did not isolate himself when he inspected Jiangxi. The outside world speculates that the high-level CCP has released different signals in terms of epidemic prevention and control.
News (8)
Li Keqiang not wearing a mask is suspected of being out of tune with Xi Jinping
The official website of the State Council of the Communist Party of China reported that from 11 to 12 April 2022, Li Keqiang visited Nanchang and Shangrao in Jiangxi Province. According to official photos, Li Keqiang, all accompanying officials and the people on the scene were not wearing masks when outdoors. (click to watch video)
A video posted on the Internet shows that Li Keqiang was talking to the local people in Nanchang. The accompanying official media reporters were filming. At this time, a man wearing an N95 mask behind Li Keqiang whispered to the officials present one by one. Everyone quickly took off their masks, and then reappeared. This shows that "not wearing a mask" is an important signal to public opinion. (click to watch video)
The outside world believes that Li Keqiang's move runs counter to Xi Jinping's "zero-covid" epidemic prevention measures. Yokogawa, a commentator on current affairs in the United States, told Radio Free Asia that the disparity in the CCP's high-level epidemic prevention has always existed, "For example, Shanghai's way of precise prevention and control is not just Shanghai's way of doing it. It is actually the party's It is a form of expression of different opinions among high-level officials on prevention and control.”
News (9)
There are anti-Xi voices inside, and the party media has published six articles in a row to defend the "zero-covid policy"
Mainland Caixin.com published a report on 13 April, titled "Shanghai, Guangzhou and other eight cities have become pilot cities to optimize epidemic prevention and control measures to explore shortening the isolation time of key groups."
The article said that the joint prevention and control mechanism of the State Council selected 8 cities of Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Dalian, Suzhou, Ningbo, Xiamen and Qingdao as pilot cities, which will be launched on 11 April 2022 for a period of four weeks. The measures are mainly to shorten the isolation time for inbound personnel and close contacts, and relax the unsealing standards for closed and controlled areas.
Image : Screenshot of Caixin.com
However, the article was quickly deleted, and even some other sites' reprints were not spared. When a NTDTV reporter checked Caixin on the 14th, the webpage displayed "404 The page you want to view does not exist or has been deleted!"
At the same time, the CCP media "People's Daily" and Xinhua News Agency recently published six articles in a row defending the "zero-covid" policy. It is said that "zero-covid" is the general policy, "strategic play" and "the best choice" based on the current epidemic situation in China.
Yokogawa believes that the official media article "is intended for the party to read, and this policy needs to be justified only when there is strong opposition within the party."
"From this point of view, it can be seen that Li Keqiang does not wear a mask, which is exactly the same thing as this (article), that is, the voice within the party against Xi Jinping's zero policy is loud enough to require the official media to defend him seriously." Yokogawa said .
News (10)
Expert: Xi Jinping "zero-covid" can't look back
The "zero policy" is an epidemic prevention strategy deployed by Xi Jinping himself. Yokogawa told The Epoch Times a few days ago, "Xi Jinping is constantly tied to dynamic clearing. If he releases the clearing policy, it is very likely that the opposition will seize this reason and settle accounts with him."
During his inspection in Hainan Province on the 13th, Xi Jinping reiterated that the epidemic control cannot be relaxed, and the "zero-covid" policy must be adhered to.
On 8 April, Xi Jinping said at the Beijing Winter Olympics Commendation Conference that China's epidemic prevention policy "has withstood the test again". He also quoted foreign athletes as saying that if there is a gold medal for epidemic prevention, "China should get one."
Hu Ping, honorary editor-in-chief of "Beijing Spring", told VOA that Xi Jinping said that China should win a gold medal for epidemic prevention and control. First, he encouraged himself because he personally directed and deployed the epidemic prevention. The second is to suppress different internal voices, because the strict clearing and closing of the city has caused huge public grievances.
Yokogawa told Radio Free Asia that the CCP's problem is to treat the epidemic as a political movement, and now the voices supporting coexistence with the virus are growing louder within the party, and internal disputes are becoming more and more superficial.
Chen Kuide, executive chairman of the Princeton China Society, told Radio Free Asia that Xi Jinping has regarded the "zero-covid policy" as his political symbol and political asset, which he cannot give up. "Once he gives up, he thinks it's politically doomed, a failure."
However, he believes that due to the chaos caused by the closure of Shanghai, as well as under various pressures such as economy and public sentiment, Xi Jinping may be forced to make some changes to the zero-clearing policy. The ground is changing."
However, Yokogawa believes that Xi Jinping may find it difficult to admit mistakes on the issue of "zero-covid", "The characteristic of the CCP's autocratic rule is that it cannot be turned back. Once a leader admits mistakes in its major policies, it will immediately show within the party. If he shows his weakness, his opponent will eat him. So, all the big mistakes, always make the end."
News (11) to (12) / Editor : Zhang Shizhe / https://news.tvbs.com.tw/politics/1766820, https://news.tvbs.com.tw/world/1766777
Six heavyweights of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee arrived in Taiwan at 7.40 pm, Wu Zhaoxie personally picked up the plane
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued an event notice on the evening of 14 April that Robert Menendez, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, led a delegation to visit Taiwan and arrived at Songshan Airport at 7.40 pm, and was picked up by Foreign Minister Wu Zhaoxie. Including Mennandez, a total of six senators and congressmen are expected to visit Australia, and they will also fly to Taiwan for a visit on the way.
In addition to Mennandez, the delegation included: Senator Richard Burr, the top Republican on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, and Robert Portman, the top Republican on the Homeland Security Committee, U.S. Senator Ben Sasse, U.S. Representative Ronny Jackson, etc.
Presidential spokesman Zhang Dunhan said that the six members of Congress are "heavy and senior" and attach great importance to Taiwan. Among the members, Senator Graham, Chairman Mennandez, Senator Ball and Representative Jackson are all members of the Senate Taiwan Connection or the Congressional Taiwan Connection. Members of Congress and Senator Seth have also repeatedly signed the Taiwan Friendship Bill or Taiwan Friendship Initiative.
Zhang Dunhan pointed out that the visit was not only "cross-party", but also "crossed the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives", demonstrating the cross-party attention and support of the U.S. Congress to Taiwan and partnerships.
News (12)
Pick a side? CCP media "6 accusations in a row" explode the black hand of the Russian-Ukrainian war, and the US is the source of chaos in the world
The Russian-Ukrainian war has not yet had a clear result. Even if the Russian army withdrew from some cities in Ukraine, the atrocities of the Russian army against Ukrainian civilians were found in these towns. Western countries condemned Russia in unison and increased sanctions against Russia. CCP China's position on the Russia-Ukraine issue has always been unclear. However, CCP's official Xinhua News Agency has published 6 articles in a row, pointing out that the absence of a country is the mastermind behind the Russia-Ukraine war, and even criticizes the United States as the "source of chaos in the world."
According to Xinhua News Agency, they pointed out that the source of the Russian-Ukrainian war came from the end of the Cold War, when the United States squeezed and contained Russia’s safe space for a long time, which not only allowed NATO to expand eastward, but also “incited revolution” in Ukraine to undermine the relationship between Russia and Ukraine. Relations, and even fanning the flames everywhere, make the situation even more tense.
Second, the United States has long acted as a world power, creating small groups in various countries around the world, and at the same time ignoring international organizations and regulations to cause turmoil in various countries to protect its own interests but it brings disaster to the people of other countries.
Third, U.S. politicians, mainstream media and elites are all related to the U.S. arms page, instigating a "new Cold War" with Russia for a long time, trying to make "war money" by disrupting the order of the whole family, such as during the Cold War. A large number of arms were sold on the grounds of "resisting communism" and the "war on terror" after the Cold War. Now that the Russian-Ukrainian war has started, the United States has more arms sales to European countries and plunders Russia's energy resources.
Fourth, in order to maintain its status as a global hegemon, the United States often uses "democracy", "national security", "human rights" and other reasons to wield a "big stick" to sanction countries that endanger its own interests.
Fifth, it is reported that the United States is the manipulator of secret military research. After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, biological laboratories have been set up all over the world. The evidence also said that Ukraine has become a "biological laboratory" for the United States.
Sixth, Xinhua News Agency believes that the United States is a "human rights scoundrel" with bad track records. They accuse the United States of letting the Russian-Ukrainian war start and European countries taking the responsibility of accepting refugees, resulting in a widening gap between the rich and the poor and the re-emergence of the epidemic. Looking back at the founding of the United States to the present, the CCP media accuses the U.S. for causing the displacement of people in many other countries, and even lost their lives. Under the banner of "human rights", they have done the exact opposite. Therefore, the United States is called "human rights inferior."
News (13)
More than 4,000 Pfizer oral drugs arrive in Taiwan, and another 100,000 are expected to arrive by May
Editor : Lai Huijin / https://news.tvbs.com.tw/life/1766812 / Image : The latest batch of about 4,100 Pfizer oral medicines arrived this afternoon. (Photo/Dazhi Image Associated Press)
The covid epidemic is heating up, and oral medicine is the key material to avoid severe infection. According to people familiar with the matter, the latest batch of about 4,100 Pfizer oral drugs arrived this afternoon, and it is expected that more drugs will arrive in Taiwan before May, which may exceed 100,000.
The domestic covid epidemic is heating up in Taiwan, with single-day confirmed cases hitting a record high in Taiwan's epidemic history for two consecutive days. Chen Shizhong, commander of the Central Epidemic Command Centre, said frankly that the local epidemic has not yet reached its peak, and the number of confirmed cases in a single day may exceed 10,000 in the future.
In addition to encouraging people to get vaccinated against covid as soon as possible, the command center is also a key material to reduce severe infections. The command center announced on the 11th that it has purchased 700,000 oral antiviral drugs (Paxlovid) from Pfizer. Among them, 350,000 medicines will be delivered to the Republic of China by the second quarter of this year to meet the needs of epidemic control.
A person familiar with the matter told a reporter from the Central News Agency today that a batch of 4,100 Pfizer oral drugs arrived in Taiwan in the afternoon, and the customs clearance was completed. The period may also be extended. (Central News Agency)
News (14) to (25) / Reporter : Chen Ting / Editor : Ye Ziwei / https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/22/4/14/n13711268.htm
News (14)
Expert: CCP's increased support for Myanmar Junta threatens Indo-Pacific stability
International security experts pointed out that under the Ukraine crisis, the CCP is increasing its support for the Myanmar military government. Experts have warned that Southeast Asian nations could be pressured by Beijing to recognize the dictatorship, threatening long-term U.S. commitments in the Indo-Pacific.
News (15)
Russia support for Myanmar has dwindled, the CCP tries to fill the void
Jason Tower, director of the Myanmar program at the United States Institute of Peace, an official Washington think tank, warns (link) that Russian support for Myanmar's military junta has dwindled sharply due to the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian war. The CCP is trying to fill the void, increasing support for Myanmar Junta regime and expanding its influence in the region.
Tower pointed out that Beijing's initial public response to the military coup was to pretend that nothing happened.
"It described the coup as a 'cabinet reshuffle' until last March, when Chinese factories and businesses in Yangon were attacked, creating a crisis," said Tower. "Chinese officials are concerned about strong support for the junta. It may further fuel anti-China sentiment.”
News (16)
CCP: Myanmar Junta and NUG must work hard to win over Chinese investment
Beijing has since slowed investment and lending in Myanmar, while managing ties with the junta and the opposition, and warned both sides of the conflict that they must work hard to win over Chinese investment.
However, Tower believes that the CCP is beginning to think that the opposition is unlikely to win and could harm China’s interests.
"A sudden shift in China's policy will almost certainly lead to an escalation of violence and instability in Myanmar," Tower said, arguing that Beijing's open cooperation with Myanmar Junta was aimed at "rapidly restarting the tens of billions of dollars strategic investment plan in Myanmar."
News (17)
NUG condemns CCP
The National Unity Government (NUG), a parallel government set up by former Myanmar lawmakers and pro-democracy figures, has condemned the actions of the Chinese authorities as "extremely disrespectful and offensive" to the Burmese people. (Link)
News (18)
Tower: CCP's support for the Myanmar Junta threatens regional peace
Tower said that for the United States, CCP China's increased support for the genocidal military regime at the centre of the Indo-Pacific region is a direct threat to the long-term regional commitment of the United States' Indo-Pacific strategy.
News (19)
CCP, three ASEAN foreign ministers and Wunna Maung Lwin discuss about the impact of the Ukraine crisis on Southeast Asia
In late March, as Moscow's support for Myanmar's military junta plummeted after the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian war, Beijing sought to fill the void, inviting ASEAN three foreign ministers and Wunna Maung Lwin, who is in charge of Myanmar Junta's foreign affairs, to meet in China, including discussing the "negative impact" of the Ukraine crisis on Southeast Asia.
News (20)
CCP and Myanmar Junta sign new BRI economic agreement
Subsequently, on 1 April 2022, CCP Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Wunnar Maung Lwin at a grand reception, and signed a new economic agreement to promote cooperation under the "Belt and Road" initiative. According to the Myanmar statement (link), Beijing has also pledged 650 million RMB in new aid to the Myanmar Junta.
News (21)
CCP no matter how supports Myanmar Junta
The CCP’s state media reported that the military government envoy was a “peer” of the CCP’s foreign minister, and emphasized that Wang Yi told Wunna Maung Lwin that “no matter how the situation changes,” Beijing will support the regime and explore “a development path that suits its national conditions.”
News (22)
Private companies in southwest China prefer "high risk" "poorly governed countries"
The economic needs of southwestern Chinese provinces such as Yunnan, as well as the network of Chinese private capital, have also driven the change in CCP policy, Tower noted. He stressed that these private capitals have a particular preference for "high-risk", "poorly governed countries."
News (23)
Chongqing entrepreneurs and Junta-backed business man develop casino resort island off Myeik
“Meanwhile, a covert network of entrepreneurs from Chongqing (link) is working with a Myanmar military-backed businessman to develop a casino resort island off Myeik, another catalyst for a deeper relationship with the military," Tower said.
He added that the group visited almost every important branch of the Myanmar military and signed an agreement with the Lincang city government to advance relations between Yunnan and Myanmar.
News (24)
CCP strengthens ties with Myanmar ethnic armed groups to advance CCP interests
“While strengthening ties with the military government, China has also maintained and often strengthened traditional ties with ethnic armed groups (EAOs) in the north, especially the most powerful ethnic armed groups,” said Tower. In short, China is trying to make itself relevant to all the powerful military actors in Myanmar."
"The Chinese-dependent military government is surrounded by well-armed ethnic armed groups that are also under Chinese influence," said Tower. "Chinese leaders believe that this network of engagement creates the best possible way to advance Chinese interests."
News (25)
Concerns about long-term conflict in Southeast Asia involving CCP in Myanmar
Tower believes that this is a "dangerous tactic" and that support for the military government could ultimately amplify local anti-China sentiment, put the CCP's strategic investments at greater risk, and create concerns about long-term conflict.
He pointed out that the recent actions of the Chinese authorities have increased the threat to peace and democracy in the Indo-Pacific region.
"While Western countries help Ukraine deal with existential threats, it is important that they cannot ignore China's actions in Southeast Asia," Tower said.
He called on the United States to encourage its partners in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD) to provide more support to make democracies the backbone of regional security.
The United States and its allies should also find more ways to help all opposition in Myanmar. At the same time, Washington should make it clear to China that its strategy has posed a threat to regional stability.
Pictures of T4, Good Friday Eve in Singapore, 2018
Images : Researcher's Pictures
Pictures of 2018 Good Friday Eve hours flight delay
Images : Researcher's Pictures
News (26)
There are not enough square cabins in Shanghai, positive people suddenly change to home isolation
Reporters : Zheng Gusheng, Qiao An / Editor: Lin Qing / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2022/04/14/a103400342.html, https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2022/04/14/a103400600.html/ Image : On 13 April 2022, Shanghai resident received supplies at the gate of the community. (Getty Images)
Shanghai's epidemic prevention is in chaos, and the day and night have changed. The day before, the Cultural Revolution method was used to force positive patients to go to the shelter, and the next day, they were quarantined at home. Previously, due to the shortage of square cabins, the positive patients were in poor condition and complained.
On Wednesday (13 April 2022), the new policy of Changning District in Shanghai was posted online. Positive patients who have not been transferred to the cabin after 7 April do not need to be transferred again. Instead, they will be quarantined at home with their co-occupants, and they will be changed after two nucleic acid negatives for 7 days home health management.
The news said that the notice had been issued to the neighborhood committees overnight. There are also informed netizens who left messages, and Pudong District also issued a similar notice, which has been confirmed through two streets.
Shanghai netizens were surprised by the sudden change in the epidemic prevention policy. Someone said: "Walking around in a circle, isn't this the first policy Shanghai wants to adopt?"
On Thursday, Radio Free Asia confirmed through Mr. Zheng, a resident of Shanghai's Baoshan District, that the positive patient had been quarantined at home.
He said, "If you find a positive, the whole building will be closed with barbed wire. People cannot enter or leave the door. Epidemic prevention personnel will build a shed to guard it. If you tested positive last week, you will be taken away in a car immediately. This is not the way to deal with it now."
As recently as Tuesday, district governments across Shanghai were forcing positive residents to go to square cabin hospitals. On the same day, the Ruixin Neighborhood Committee of Hongkou District issued a "warm reminder", using the language of the Cultural Revolution to threaten that positive residents who refused to transfer to square cabins would "always have a red code and never take off their hats", and will continue to seal the entire building and the entire community.
A video also surfaced on Tuesday night, showing police officers with various equipment rushing into residents' homes to arrest people and put them in quarantine. Police officers armed with steel forks, shields, and finally, suspected of using a stun gun, subdued the man who was stubbornly resisting on the balcony.
As for the reason for the sudden change of policy by the authorities, Mr. Wang, a resident of Xuhui District, told Free Asia that with the current spread of the epidemic, it is too late to build more makeshift hospitals.
Online video shows that citizens in many parts of Shanghai took to the streets to protest against the government's construction of a local makeshift hospital or transfer station.
Previous news from various sources showed that due to the shortage of square cabins, a large number of positive patients in many communities could not be transported out. There are also many positive patients who boarded the transfer bus and traveled to multiple isolation points. They were unable to stay because of the overcrowding. Some people were stranded on the bus for most of the day, unable to go to the toilet without food or drink. There are also a large number of positive people who are thrown into isolation points with insufficient facilities or even unfinished facilities, and the situation is even worse. Similar news spread on the Internet, causing public grievances to boil over.
In addition, because of the supply of supplies and the control of positive people, grass-roots officials were sandwiched between the higher-level government and residents, under pressure and overwhelmed, and they "lied down" to protest. All staff of the Hancheng Neighborhood Committee of Sanlin Town, Pudong New Area issued a notice on Saturday announcing a collective strike. Wu Yingchuan, secretary of Pudong Garden Community, also issued a letter of resignation.
The Shanghai International Community was forcibly requisitioned, the police violently expelled the residents
Meanwhile on 14 April 2022, a large-scale conflict broke out in "Zhangjiang Town" in Pudong, Shanghai. People protested against the authorities' forcible requisition of houses as isolation points, and the police violently suppressed them.
On 12 April, residents of Zhangjiang Nashi International Community in Pudong New Area, Shanghai were suddenly notified that the authorities would requisition 11 buildings in the community as a centralized isolation point for positive cases that can accommodate 1,800 people. Some residents were asked to empty their rented apartments that night
Previously, four vacant apartments in the community had been requisitioned, and this expansion of the requisition has clearly threatened the basic life and health and safety of residents in the community.
On 14 April, clashes broke out between residents of the community protesting the forcible requisition of apartments and the police. Many residents who did not behave in any dangerous way were arrested by the police, including frail elderly people.
"What do you do with the old man? What do you do with the old man?"
One woman knelt on the ground for a long time, kowtowed to the police, and cried, "I beg you." .
On Thursday, Shanghai officials reported nearly 28,000 people infected the day before, and the cumulative number of infected people in this round of the epidemic has reached 200,000. The square cabin hospitals and multiple isolation points are under difficult conditions and overcrowded.
It is reported that in the face of boiling public grievances, the authorities are being forced to adjust their epidemic prevention policies, and those infected may take home isolation measures in the future.
Comprehensive report by NTD reporter Qiao An
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News (27) to (30) / Editor : Wen Hui / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2022/04/14/a103400185.html
News (27)
Infighting in Zhongnanhai intensifies? The State Council's epidemic prevention pilot was blocked by the whole network
Image : Xi Jinping (left) and Li Keqiang (right) at the Great Hall in Beijing. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)
Recently, epidemics broke out in many places in China, but Xi Jinping's "clearing" epidemic prevention policy has not been relaxed. At the same time, a set of pilot programs by the State Council of the Communist Party of China to relax epidemic prevention standards was immediately blocked. There is speculation that the struggle at the top of the CCP is intensifying.
The covid epidemic is spreading across China, with Shanghai being the worst. The "zero-covid" policy adopted by the authorities has not only aroused various public grievances but also seriously dragged down China's economy and people's livelihood.
In the face of a severe economic downturn, the State Council of the Communist Party of China recently released a new set of pilot standards for epidemic prevention and control, and decided to relax epidemic prevention and control in eight first-tier cities in China, including Shanghai and Guangzhou. However, just after the policy was announced by the domestic media, it was all deleted within a day.
News (28)
Shanghai shortens the quarantine time
On 13 April China's Caixin.com published an article titled "Shanghai, Guangzhou and other eight cities have become pilot cities for optimizing epidemic prevention and control measures to explore shortening the isolation time of key groups." The content mentioned that the State Council decided to use Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Dalian, Suzhou, Ningbo, Xiamen and Qingdao as pilot cities to loosen some quarantine policies, including shortening the quarantine time for inbound personnel. The arrangement is said to have been officially launched on 11 April for a period of four weeks.
Bloomberg quoted people familiar with the matter as saying that the pilot to shorten the quarantine period is to reduce the pressure on the quarantine location, related manpower and material costs, etc., and does not mean that China relaxes the authorities' "zero-covid" policy.
However, less than a day after the relevant news was released, it was quickly blocked by the CCP authorities. At present, with the exception of overseas media where similar reprints can be seen, all domestic media have deleted the news.
At the same time, the CCP's Xinhua News Agency, People's Daily and other official media have recently published six articles in a row defending Xi Jinping's "zero-covid" policy, and Xi Jinping once again emphasized during his recent inspection in Hainan that he insists on "zero-covid" and must overcome the paralyzed thoughts, war weariness, fluke mentality, relaxed mentality.
According to expert analysis, the above-mentioned signs indicate that high-level infighting by the CCP authorities in the prevention and control of the epidemic has been made public. Yokogawa, an American current affairs commentator, told Radio Free Asia that disputes within the CCP are becoming more and more superficial, and there is strong opposition within the party.
It is widely expected that Xi Jinping will win a third term at the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China to be held this fall, but in the face of anti-Xi forces eyeing him, Xi Jinping's road to re-election will not be smooth. Therefore, Xi's epidemic "zeroing" policy will not give in in the short term.
Chen Kuide, executive chairman of the Princeton China Society of the United States, analyzed Radio Free Asia that the zero-clearing policy has become a political symbol of Xi Jinping and a political asset. Once it is abandoned, it is equivalent to political failure and failure.
News (29)
Li Keqiang urges vigilance against downward pressure on the economy
On the other hand, while the authorities insisted on "dynamic clearing", they directly caused heavy damage to the Chinese economy. Li Keqiang has been calling for a series of recent calls to be vigilant against "exceedingly expected changes" in the economy.
On 11 April, Li Keqiang held a discussion with top leaders of several provinces in Jiangxi on how to save the economy. He emphasized that it is necessary to be highly vigilant against "some unexpected changes in the international and domestic environment" and further downward pressure on the economy. Participants included local officials from Jiangxi, Liaoning, Zhejiang, Guangdong and Sichuan.
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Li Keqiang: Unexpected factors have exceeded expectations
On 7 April 2022, when Li Keqiang chaired a symposium with experts and entrepreneurs, he also mentioned that domestic epidemics have frequently occurred recently, and some unexpected factors have exceeded expectations, bringing greater uncertainty and challenges to the smooth operation of the economy.
At the State Council executive meeting held on 6 April, Li Keqiang also pointed out that the current domestic and international environmental complexity and uncertainty have intensified, and some have exceeded expectations. The recovery of the world economy has slowed down, the domestic epidemic has recently occurred frequently, the difficulties of market entities have increased significantly, and the smooth economic cycle has encountered some constraints.
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