Description

Over the weekend, protests against China’s strict coronavirus restrictions ricocheted across the country in a rare case of nationwide civil unrest. It was the most extensive series of protests since the pro-democracy movement in Tiananmen Square in 1989.This is what these demonstrations look and feel like, and what they mean for President Xi Jinping and his quest for “zero Covid.”Guest: Vivian Wang, a China correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: 

• Demonstrations against coronavirus restrictions in China have evolved into broader demands. What are protesters calling for?
• In a country where protests are swiftly quashed, many who gathered to voice their discontent — under the watchful eye of the police — were uncertain about how far to go.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.