China’s Pandemic Shift: The End of Dynamic zero-COVID

Johannes Nordin
Beginning with the anti-lockdown protests triggered by a fire in Xinjiang on November 24, this issue brief examines Beijing’s abrupt abandonment of zero-COVID mere days later and its underlying motivations. The government’s new pandemic discourse vis-á-vis the public downplays the severity of the virus and stresses individual over collective responsibility in now living alongside it. This messaging seeks to instill trust in the new approach, prepare the public for temporary difficulties, dilute responsibility, and reduce impending strain on public health resources while also characterizing the new approach as a calculated next step in fighting the pandemic. Yet, China’s new pandemic strategy is not without key challenges and significant risks in the year ahead—both for public health and Xi Jinping’s already imperiled pandemic leadership legacy.
Related Publications
-
An Interview with Professor Torbjörn Lodén: EU and U.S. Relations with China in Retrospect and Looking Ahead
The Institute for Security & Development Policy (ISDP) has for the past three years had the honor and privilege of Professor Torbjörn Lodén serving as its Head of the Stockholm […]
-
Contemporary Hong Kong-Taiwan Relations in China’s Shadow
On November 25, 2022, the Institute for Security and Development Policy (ISDP) arranged a webinar titled “Contemporary Hong Kong-Taiwan Relations in the Shadow of the People’s Republic of China”. The […]
-
Russia-DPRK Space Cooperation: It’s Politics, Not Science
The recent Vostochny summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin has attracted much international attention. The fact that both leaders pledged to strengthen bilateral […]
-
Taiwan’s Southbound Drive towards Southeast Asia
This article examines Taiwan’s foreign policy towards Southeast Asia during Ma Ying-jeou’s two-term (2008–2016) and Tsai Ing-wen’s first-term (2016–2020) presidencies. It discusses the context of East Asian regionalization and regionalism, […]
-
Risk Reduction and Crisis Management on the Korean Peninsula
The situation on the Korean Peninsula is inherently intertwined with the growing instability of the East Asian security environment, where high tensions significantly increase the risk of unintended incidents and armed […]
-
Drivers of U.S.-China Strategic Competition: Understanding the Chinese Perspective
The relationship between the United States and China is one of the world’s most important and mutually beneficial bilateral relationships. Nonetheless, it is also complex and contentious, with both countries […]