Xi Jinping defends China COVID-19 policy at Congress event amid protests gaining momentum

The most-awaited event of China's Communist Party Congress kickstarted on Sunday with more than 2,300 handpicked party leaders. The event is being hosted at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, wherein it is expected that incumbent President Xi Jinping will cement his position for the third time. If he takes oath as the president, he would remain in the position for the next five years.

As the most crucial week-long event started a while ago, activists took to the streets and started protesting against the expected decision of the CCP. Though protests have been going on for the past few days, China's most censored social media platforms banned popular hashtags and blocked the accounts of activists. Earlier on Saturday, the CCP government banned all street protests and censored all social media posts that had the potential to put President Xi Jinping in a bad light.

According to the trends on social media, it is clearly visible that Chinese citizens are not in the mood to give a third chance to President Xi amid his controversial and harsh decisions over COVID-19, back-to-back stringent lockdowns and freedom. The same could be seen on the streets where frustrated citizens put up banners denouncing Jinping's rule. On Thursday, reports emerged on the mainland that two banners had been draped across Sitong bridge - an overpass in the capital's Haiding district. One of the banners, according to online images, called on people to go on strike to "oust the dictator, traitor Xi Jinping."

Xi Jinping defends China's harsh COVID policy

Meanwhile, on Sunday, as he started his speech, President defended his policies on coronavirus and said it was necessary to impose harsh rulings in order to save the lives of millions. Bracing his own decisions, he said that the party played a crucial role in the pandemic and added the lockdowns, and strict border control was necessary to curb the spread of the lethal virus.  
"In the face of the sudden pandemic, we are committed to putting people and lives first, and adhere to dynamic zero-Covid. It has maximally protected people’s lives and health, and coordinated epidemic prevention and control with economic development," CNN quoted Xi as saying.