Amid widespread protests in China over the country's "zero COVID" strategy, the White House reportedly released a statement on Monday cautiously confirming the Chinese right to peaceful protest.
"We've said that zero COVID is not a policy we're pursuing here in the United States," the statement read, according to Washington Post columnist Isaac Stone Fish. "And as we've said, we think it's going to be very difficult for the People's Republic of China to be able to contain this virus through their zero COVID strategy.
"For us, we are focused on what works and that means using the public health tools like: continuing to enhance vaccination rates, including boosters and making testing and treatment easily accessible," the White House continued. "We've long said everyone has the right to peacefully protest, here in the United States and around the world. This includes in the PRC."
Protests erupted across China on Sunday, triggered by an apartment building fire, as frustration grows with the communist nation's zero COVID policy, which has locked down millions as cases rise.
According to The Associated Press, demonstrations from the night before reformed in the capital of Beijing and Shanghai, as well as other major cities.
The protests began after an apartment building fire in the northwestern city of Urumqi, in China's Xinjiang region, which killed 10 people and injured nine others. According to The Hill, anger over firefighters' response has intensified, as some suggest that lockdown measures delayed efforts to save people.
Early Sunday morning, protesters in Shanghai chanted "Xi Jinping! Step down! CCP! Step down!" while standing on a road named for Urumqi, the AP reported.
Crowds returned to the street hours after being cleared by police, chanting "We don't want PCR tests, we want freedom!"
Chinese President Xi Jinping recently began his third term as China's leader and has continued the zero COVID strategy as the third anniversary of the country's first case approaches.
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