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BIG STORY JANUARY 06, 2023 | The Indian Eye 12

ers, a spate of defaults on their debts
and a slump in house prices and sales.
There have been spillover effects
into other sectors reliant on the prop-
erty industry and a widespread revolt
by mortgagors, who had borrowed to
fund purchases of apartments before
they were built, now find themselves
with debts but no apartments. Local
governments that rely on property
sales for much of their income are
also stressed.
Unemployment among 16 to
24-year-olds is nudging 20 per cent
and has more than doubled during
Xi’s current five-year term.
Chinese consumers have become
cautious, with retail spending slump-
ing and the slowdown in the rest of
the world threatening its exports, re-
ported SMH.
For the first time in living memory
China’s economy might grow at a low-
er rate than the rest of the emerging China was recently rocked by protests over the government’s Covid policy (Agencies)
economies. That’s hardly outstanding.
Given all the headwinds China’s with the country now requiring nucleic the Chinese society under President outbreak in August and September,
economy is facing and Xi’s continuing acid tests done within the past 48 hours Xi Jinping’s leadership to date more Chinese officials imposed strict lock-
commitment to stringent responses to just to enter public spaces, offices and than the ‘Zero Covid’ policy which downs in Xinjiang which resulted in
Covid outbreaks, it, perhaps, isn’t sur- even schools. However, it is estimated appears to have failed miserably as some deaths of Uyghurs from starva-
prising that anything less than positive that the testing could cost some 1.7 China is still struggling to cope with tion as well as lack of medical care, as
news about the state of the economy trillion yuan a year in China’s major the daily rise in cases inside the coun- per Radio Free Asia.
would be delayed until the Congress cities alone, or about 1.5 per cent of try, according to Colombo Gazette. The local officials also de-
has concluded and his continuing the country’s gross domestic product. The policy was introduced by the tained 600 Uyghurs from a village
leadership confirmed. Moreover, the emotional toll of government in view of a resurge in in Ghulja (Yining) in the north-
Niels Graham, an assistant di- China’s ‘Zero Covid’ strategy has also coronavirus cases in China with 1,000 ern part of Xinjiang after they
rector at the GeoEconomics Center, taken a toll on the Chinese people. new cases being reported each day. protested the lockdown that has
writing in Atlantic Council said that This emotional toll has outweighed The Covid policy has, however, led made the lives of locals miserable.
the decisions he makes during this everything else. But it is interesting to fear, anger, and confusion among Also, China made a mess of al-
third term risk reducing the Chinese to note that China is still insisting that Chinese citizens caused by repeated leged human rights violations result-
economy by as much as five trillion these stern policies are the only way to lockdowns in vast areas. ing in loss of respect among the world.
dollars over the next five years, with go, reported Straits Times. The curbs were even more harsh They are suspicious of China over the
potentially devastating effects for The world is now more than two and stringent in Xinjiang where resi- human rights violations of Uyghurs in
global growth. years into the pandemic and with this dents kept pleading for food during its Xinjiang region.
The economy that greets him China’s Polymerase chain reaction the lockdown and in Tibetan capital Xinjiang have long faced prej-
today is vastly different from the one (PCR) tests, quarantines and flash Lhasa, angry crowds seen protesting udice and persecution. Beijing
that saw him ascend to his role a de- lockdowns have almost become a part in the streets after being at home for launched policies of assimilation and
cade ago. When Xi became China’s of “normal” life. more than 90 days. strict police control on the pretext of
leader in 2012, he inherited a nation Meanwhile, nothing has rocked Moreover, after the severe Covid fighting terrorism and secession. Chi-
of newfound wealth growing rapid- nese authorities allegedly suppressed
ly. Expanding at an average pace of Uyghur calls for autonomy and their
around 7 per cent a year, the Chinese religious expressions.
economy nearly doubled in size over These policies have in recent
the course of Xi’s first two terms. years developed into a program of
Now, the situation is marked- ethnic and religious persecution.
ly different. For the first time since More than one million Uyghurs and
1989, China will miss its annual gross other Turkic minorities are held in
domestic product (GDP) growth tar- more than 300 detention facilities,
get, said Graham. Officially, Beijing while twice as many are reportedly re-
points to the sweeping Covid-19 re- ceiving “re-education”.
strictions it has implemented across Many people have experienced
the country to explain the slowdown, torture and forced labor in deten-
reported Atlantic Council. tion. Outside the detention facilities,
Meanwhile, China’s extreme Chinese authorities have imposed a
Covid-19 testing policies are pro- pervasive system of mass surveillance,
jected to give a blow to the country’s controls on movement, arbitrary ar-
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by The ‘Zero Covid’ policy appears to have failed miserably as China is still struggling to cope rest and enforced disappearance, cul-
about 1.5 per cent, said media reports. with the daily rise in cases inside the country (File photo) tural and religious erasure, and family
China has ramped up its testing separation on Turkic Muslims.

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