Some Chinese Scholars Say "Xi Jinping Step Down"...Ongoing Responsibility Debate Over Novel Coronavirus

"Failure to Handle Crises Like Hong Kong Anti-Government Protests and COVID-19 Outbreak"
"Chinese Government Suppresses Civil Society and Press Freedom"

Xi Jinping, President of China / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suwan] Recently, among some Chinese scholars, voices blaming President Xi Jinping (習近平) for the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia) have been emerging.

According to the Hong Kong South China Morning Post (SCMP) on the 6th, Chinese scholar Xu Ziyong posted on social networking services (SNS) on the 4th, urging President Xi to step down, saying, "President Xi, who has failed to respond to crises such as the US-China trade war, the Hong Kong anti-government protests, and the novel coronavirus outbreak, must resign."

Xu Ziyong is an intellectual who was arrested in China for human rights activism and served four years in prison. He is currently living in hiding to avoid public security and only active online.

Xu addressed President Xi, saying, "Your people are trying to find me and put me back in prison, but I do not think you are a villain. You are just not smart." He insisted, "For the people, Xi Jinping, you must step down."

Another scholar also criticized President Xi. Xu Zhangrun, a professor at the Law School of Tsinghua University (淸華) in China, strongly criticized the Chinese leadership.

Professor Xu recently posted on an overseas website, arguing, "The reason the Chinese government failed in its initial response to the novel coronavirus was because it suppressed civil society and freedom of the press."

He also pointed out regarding the Chinese Communist Party deleting critical SNS posts, "All opportunities for public discourse have disappeared, and the society's early warning system has collapsed."

Previously, in 2018, Professor Xu was suspended for writing an article criticizing President Xi's long-term rule. He has been under surveillance by authorities after being banned from traveling abroad and publishing works.

Meanwhile, on the 3rd, President Xi stated at a meeting of the Politburo Standing Committee, the highest leadership body of the Chinese Communist Party, "Cadres must thoroughly control online media and lead public opinion to win the fight against the novel coronavirus."

The next day, at a meeting of the Ministry of Public Security, President Xi also emphasized that "political stability" is the most important in responding to the novel coronavirus.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.