Fifteen districts are now affected by containment relief, this Tuesday, April 12, in Shanghai, despite the continued outbreak of the Omicron variant (23,342 new infections are reported for the day of April 11, of which a large majority of asymptomatic cases). A way to lift the lid a little, after nearly two weeks of strict confinement in the Chinese economic capital. While part of its 25 million inhabitants are losing patience.
From our correspondent in Beijing,
Pudong confined, Pudong which complained of not always having enough to eat, but Pudong very partially liberated. Explosion of joy last night, Monday April 11 in the few neighborhood communities in eastern Shanghai affected by this easing of confinement, first in 3 districtsthen in 15 morethis Tuesday, April 12.
Windows that speak
On the networks, the residence courtyards almost look like a nightclub, and cars turn at the foot of the buildings on an old hit by Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai sang loudly from the windows. ” The sun will never set “, – it can not be invented – sung by confined people who have not seen the light of day for days.
Whenever large urban complexes find themselves under a bell, the windows speak in China.
And the balconies become theaters of expression and places of demands. We had seen it before the Covid-19 in Hong Kong during the 2019 protests. But the phenomenon accelerated at the start of the pandemic. We remember the ” Jia You Wuhan! », « Go Wuhan! » in the winter of 2020 to encourage all the agents mobilized against the virus.
Local residents staying at home shout “Cheer up Wuhan” to each other through windows. Wuhan residents now minimize going out to avoid coronavirus infection. pic.twitter.com/aLOOClr1uh
— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) January 27, 2020
Food shortage
The tone has however radically changed, two years later, for the confinement of the Chinese economic capital. The demonstrations of discontent of the inhabitants flood the social networks, even if they are quickly censored. ” We want to eat, we want to work, we want to be free! “, thus raged at the end of last month, residents of Minhang complex face food shortages.
The keywords “looking for food in Shanghai” are then censored and instructions come through loudspeakers.
Drones facing slogans
A call to order to the windows of the protesters: “CControl your desire for freedom. Don’t open the windows and don’t sing chant the drones climbing to the top floors. Advice given by state media two years agosasking people to avoid going to the balcony, so as not to risk seeing the neighbors’ virus climb or fall there.
As seen on Weibo: Shanghai residents go to their balconies to sing & protest lack of supplies. A drone appears: “Please comply w covid restrictions. Control your soul’s desire for freedom. Do not open the window or sing.” https://t.co/0ZTc8fznaV pic.twitter.com/pAnEGOlBIh
—Alice Su (@aliceysu) April 6, 2022
Song of whales in the Shanghai night
Wasted effort ! The chants and slogans immediately returned. One has the impression that the glass and concrete towers are talking to each other. The impression also with the echo of hearing the song of the whales in the Shanghainese night when it is only the windows that speak.
What the?? This video taken yesterday in Shanghai, China, by the father of a close friend of mine. She verified its authenticity: People screaming out of their windows after a week of total lockdown, no leaving your apartment for any reason. pic.twitter.com/iHGOO8D8Cz
— Patrick Madrid ✌? (@patrickmadrid) April 9, 2022
The one who captured the video with his mobile phonecommented on the scene with a Shanghainese accent: It’s not working anymore, if it continues, there will be problems. “Scenes that took place just before the relief of containment.
Containment remains very strict for the vast majority of the inhabitants of the Chinese economic capital. This Tuesday, April 12, France is calling on its nationals to postpone their trip to Shanghai.