China's Xi Jinping Faces Growing Domestic and International Criticism Amid COVID-19 Crisis

Chinese President Xi Jinping's composure has been shattered by widespread protests and the COVID-19 crisis, marking a shift in fortunes after a successful power grab at the Communist Party Congress in October. The country is now grappling with the devastating consequences of its "zero COVID" policy, which has led to thousands of elderly deaths every day. As China's international ambitions are thwarted, its neighbors have strengthened ties with the West, and Canada has taken a decisive turn in challenging Beijing's malign schemes.

Key Takeaways:

• Xi Jinping's power grab and "Chinese Dream" of national rejuvenation have been foiled by domestic and international factors.
• The COVID-19 crisis has exposed the human cost of China's repressive autocracy, with thousands of elderly people dying every day due to shortages of basic medicines.
• Canada has shifted its policy towards China, with cabinet ministers speaking of "decoupling," "friendshoring," and efforts to prevent the importing of Chinese products made with Uyghur forced labor.
• Ottawa has banned Huawei from Canada's 5G networks and worked to prevent Western technology from being co-opted for China's weapon-development, surveillance, and espionage programs.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin's actions in Ukraine have served as a reminder that China's ambitions of annexing democratic Taiwan are not inevitable.
• The Western alliance has strengthened its presence in the Indo-Pacific, with the QUAD, AUKUS, the 14-nation Indo-Pacific Framework for Prosperity, and NATO's enhanced military presence there.

Statistics:

• Thousands of elderly people are dying every day in China due to the COVID-19 crisis.
• The COVID-19 death toll in China has not been publicly disclosed, but state-controlled TV news has stopped broadcasting the daily charts that compared China's COVID-19 case and death numbers to those of the United States.
• 70% of Canadians support strengthening ties with Taiwan amid China's growing assertiveness.
• 80% of Canadians believe that Canada should take a more critical stance towards China's human rights record.
• China's Belt and Road Initiative has led to increasing geostrategic tensions in the Indo-Pacific region.

Sources:

• The Globe and Mail
• Canadian government's Indo-Pacific Strategy
• Macdonald-Laurier Institute
• European Values Center for Security Policy
• Various Chinese and Taiwanese sources