Extreme Chinese Zero-Covid Policy Garners International Scrutiny
By Josie Kelleher · Cogito XIV ·Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chinese government has adopted extreme tactics to prevent the spread of the virus while maintaining a positive public image among both the Chinese populace and in foreign nations. However, the government has prioritized the preservation of its public image, even if it means compromising the well-being of Chinese residents. These strategies have ultimately backfired, as the detrimental effects of the zero-Covid policy on Chinese citizens have led to public disdain and international denouncement of China. When Cogito last covered China’s zero-Covid policy, the government remained committed to a policy of repeated lockdowns and forced quarantines in an effort to contain the spread of the virus, due in part to the ineffectiveness of China’s Covid vaccines. After widespread protests, the government abruptly abandoned its zero-Covid policy in December 2022, leading to a massive surge of cases reportedly exceeding one billion cases over the ensuing three months.
One decision that the Chinese government has received much criticism for is its choice of Covid vaccines. The Chinese government has chosen to use Covid vaccines developed by Chinese companies rather than western vaccines, despite the low efficacy rates of those Chinese vaccines. China’s most widely used vaccines, created by the Chinese companies Sinopharm and Sinovac, were developed using a century-old method of inoculation. They have proven significantly less effective than Pfizer and Moderna’s vaccines, which were created using new mRNA vaccine technology. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines both have an efficacy rate of around 95% against symptomatic disease two to three months after injection. In comparison, the Sinopharm vaccine only has an efficacy rate of 78%, and the Sinovac vaccine has an even lower efficacy rate of 51%.
The United States has repeatedly offered mRNA vaccines and other assistance to the Chinese government due to concerns about the rise of new variants leading to a resurgence of the pandemic. US officials have also proposed indirect methods to supply the vaccines in an effort to accommodate the Chinese government’s reluctance to accept foreign aid in order to maintain an image of self-reliance. However, in a press conference on January 6, 2023, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said that the nation’s vaccine and medical supplies were “overall in adequate supply,” and the government had rejected offers from the US. The decision to use only vaccines developed by Chinese companies was an attempt to demonstrate China’s scientific and technological capabilities. However, this isolationist policy has instead highlighted China’s failure to develop its own mRNA vaccine and keep pace with the rapidly advancing technology used by western companies. The lower rates of efficacy have negatively impacted Chinese citizens, demonstrating the government’s willingness to unnecessarily sacrifice lives in an attempt to showcase China’s strength and promote self-reliance. This pattern of government attempts to maintain a positive public image has also backfired in other ways throughout the pandemic, such as with the extreme lockdowns.
In the spring of 2020, China implemented a series of strict lockdowns intended to maintain a positive public image of the government. As a part of the zero-Covid policy, this strategy was intended to demonstrate the government’s competence in controlling the pandemic, but it has proven detrimental to the perception of the government. Forced quarantines and lockdowns have caused frustration and distrust in the government among Chinese residents, who have seen friends and neighbors be forcibly removed from their homes and taken to quarantine centers hundreds of miles away from their homes and families. These makeshift quarantine camps typically comprised vast arrays of pre-fabricated isolation units resembling shipping containers assembled in cavernous facilities, such as convention centers. As of December 2022, those experiencing mild symptoms are allowed to isolate at home, and close contacts are also free to quarantine at home and will be released with a negative test on the fifth day of symptoms. However, that does not change the long-lasting detrimental psychological impacts of the forced isolation facilities.
The lockdowns have also had dire economic consequences, including food and supply shortages, unemployment, and homelessness. A video titled Voices of April was widely shared on Chinese social media, showing the reality of the Shanghai lockdown. It provided an emotional account of what residents in the city under lockdown have experienced: starvation, families being separated, patients unable to receive urgent care due to lockdown restrictions, and more. The state of the nation only worsened as the severe lockdowns continued. In the second half of 2022, there were news reports of Chinese residents committing suicide because they had no other access to healthcare services besides COVID-19 treatment. On November 24, 2022, 10 people were killed, and nine were injured in a fire because firefighters were not allowed to enter their apartment building. Even though the extreme measures implemented under China’s zero-Covid policy were reportedly effective in limiting the spread of the virus, they caused widespread agony among Chinese residents and compromised their well-being.
Additionally, China was vastly underprepared for life after the lockdowns. China’s sudden abandonment of its zero-Covid policy in December 2022 was immediately followed by a massive surge in cases. The government announced the lifting of zero-Covid restrictions on December 7, and in just one day, the number of confirmed cases rose from 22,583 to 463,471. Two weeks later, on December 23, the number of cases reached an all-time high of 6,966,046. While many western nations spent their time in lockdowns vaccinating and educating their citizens and building up healthcare supply chains, the Chinese government did little to prepare the country during its three years of stringent lockdowns. Now, China’s healthcare system is almost as unequipped to deal with Covid-19 as it was three years ago at the beginning of the pandemic.
Despite the Chinese government’s attempts to maintain a positive public image with its Covid response, it is apparent that its strategies have proven counterproductive to its political goals. In addition, it has undermined the government’s narrative of managerial competence and technological superiority that China has sought to project to the world. The best way for the government to move on from the failure of the zero-Covid policy would be to prepare the country and its healthcare system for future outbreaks. In regards to vaccination, this would mean using more effective vaccines, such as the mRNA vaccines being offered by the US, vaccinating all its residents, and implementing booster shots, especially for the elderly. Having a fully vaccinated population would be essential to minimizing any future Covid surges.
