Shanghai Shuts Down Schools After China Promised to End Lockdowns

The local government of Shanghai, China’s largest and wealthiest city, forced schools to begin “online only” classes on Monday in response to an alleged surge in Chinese coronavirus cases.

The Chinese Communist Party announced in early December that it would begin “optimizing” its “zero-Covid” policy, which relied for the better part of three years on forcing entire metropolitan areas into lockdowns, imprisoning thousands of people suspected of carrying the disease into quarantine camps, and eviscerating the few civil rights previously available to Chinese people in the country. The announcement immediately followed an eruption of protests nationwide in the last weekend of November – preceded by isolated protests and assaults against public health workers in major cities – but the Communist Party refused to acknowledge that its sudden announcement of a change in policy was related to public demands.

Following the protests, major cities including Shanghai announced that “large-scale” lockdowns would no longer occur, the Chinese government would not count asymptomatic coronavirus carriers among their cases, and a return to “normal” in China was imminent. The Party emphasized that it would take measures to invite foreign investment and reinvigorate the economy after China sustained significant financial damage as a result of the lockdowns.

An announcement last week by the Shanghai education bureau appeared to be the first indication that China was not yet fully committed to returning to normal. On its official WeChat page – a Chinese government-controlled social media application – the Shanghai municipal government announced that it would shut down most schools in the city on Monday, forcing children to “attend” classes online. The directive applied to the vast majority of children from elementary to high school.

On Sunday, the day before Shanghai schools shut down, the state-run Global Times propaganda newspaper attempted to maintain the narrative that China was returning to a pre-pandemic normal, insisting that its major cities were “slowly” experiencing the lifting of “zero-Covid” restrictions and optimism had returned to the general population.

“Outdoor entertainment areas, commercial centers, and historical sites throughout many regions across China have slowly seen a return to normal over the last few days following the recent optimization of epidemic prevention measures,” the newspaper claimed. “Beijing is on track to fully restoring the normal order of production and social life, with catering, retail, and logistics all witnessing a sign of rebound after a tough week of peak [Chinese coronavirus] infections in the capital.”

The Global Times listed movie theaters, shopping malls, and restaurants as especially populated, notably omitting mention of schools.

Outside of the capital, the Global Times claimed on Monday, “local authorities have rolled out policies to reduce enterprises’ burden, revitalize pillar industries, and stabilize supply chains as well as jobs,” again with an emphasis on the economy that omits mention of education. The newspaper appeared to contradict itself, however, by reporting that Chinese government public health officials are also expecting a surge in coronavirus cases as the country gears up for Lunar New Year, the heaviest travel season of the year. To prepare, Communist Party officials are reportedly building “makeshift hospitals” to take in patients with severe infections – which the newspaper itself advised citizens not to fear.

Chinese public health officials have not echoed the messages of Chinese economic experts proclaiming a sudden and complete end to coronavirus-related restrictions. Last week, top Chinese epidemiologist Zeng Guang warned that, to fully return to normal, health experts needed to downgrade Chinese coronavirus from a disease requiring “Class A” management – a top-level infectious disease – to “Class B,” considered less of a threat.

“The expert also said that even downgrading to Class B does not guarantee that people can return to pre-pandemic normalcy,” the Global Times, which covered his comments, noted. “Only after the country has absorbed the shocks from the virus, and the curve is flattened and [Chinese coronavirus] be treated as flu.”

“Zeng believes that although the [Chinese coronavirus] restrictive measures are being relaxed, and the society is enjoying more freedoms, it is not yet the time to return back to normal, as caseloads are soaring,” it observed.

The outbreak of protests seen in late November has yet to duplicate itself in China, likely as a result of an intense crackdown on suspected dissidents underway as the Chinese government focuses all media attention on the alleged easing of pandemic protocol. In the immediate aftermath of the protests, Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported that defense attorneys the government suspected may take on cases of protesters arrested for disagreeing publicly with the government faced intense persecution, including office raids for no clear reason.

Some reports of individuals disappearing following the protests have also surfaced, prominently the case of a professor named Wu Yanan who authorities reportedly imprisoned in a mental hospital for posting supportive messages to the protesters on social media. Colleges attracted hundreds of student protesters in the past month, resulting in Chinese universities ending semesters early to empty out some of the most active campuses.

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