Their frustration goes beyond the zero-covid policy
For the students, it is not all about draconian lockdowns. Some are frustrated by a lack of freedom. Young protesters, on campus and off, have taken to holding up blank sheets of paper to highlight China’s tight controls on expression. In a more cerebral form of defiance, students at Tsinghua held up the Friedmann equations. These are formulae that describe the expansion of the universe. “Friedmann” also happens to sound a lot like “freed man”.
Discontent among university students has been building for years. Next year’s graduating class of around 12m grew up during a period of strong economic growth. They arrived on campus in 2019, probably expecting to have a good time before starting their careers. Instead, they have often been sealed in their dorms and forced to take classes online.
When the class of 2023 graduates they will face a different economy, too. China’s unemployment rate for those aged 16 to 24 in cities is nearly 18%. Covid restrictions are partly to blame. But Mr Xi has also dimmed private-sector dynamism by cracking down on the technology sector and increasing state control. More and more students are competing for lower-paid, but stable government jobs. Others areSome university administrators have sat down with students to discuss covid controls.
This round of protests may fizzle as the police clamp down. But students’ frustration is clearly growing. “Everyone is very anxious,” says Chelsea. Mr Xi provides no balm. At the party’s five-yearly congress in October and in speeches thereafter, he implored youngsters to work harder, pursue realistic goals and “abandon arrogance and pampering”. Inspiring stuff.
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