From Foreign Policy · James Palmer · · 1m 40s
China’s Surveillance State Gaps
China’s surveillance state faces cracks as pandemic costs and public pressure force reforms.
In brief
China’s surveillance state faces cracks as pandemic costs and public pressure force reforms. China’s surveillance state has gaps and high costs, leading to pandemic-era restrictions and public backlash that may prompt reforms. Originally reported by Foreign Policy.
China’s Surveillance State
China’s surveillance state returns to the spotlight with expanded monitoring and control under Xi Jinping.
Omnipresent Surveillance
Security cameras are now everywhere in Chinese cities, and the foreign internet is effectively inaccessible.
Real-Name Registration
Real-name registration for mobile phones was introduced in 2010, making unregistered SIM cards nearly impossible.
No-Show Motels Disappear
No-show motels, which rented rooms without ID, have almost disappeared due to the crackdown on Uyghur Muslims.
Boots on the Ground
Monitoring a single activist in 2010 took up to 100 people, and security paranoia put armed police on every alley corner.
Surveillance Gaps
Residential compounds have facial recognition, but most keep a side gate open for delivery workers.
Zero-COVID Costs
The zero-COVID policy required massive workforce for testing, quarantine, and disinfection, costing local governments heavily.
Pandemic Failures
The zero-COVID system failed to contain the virus and could not stretch beyond urban areas.
Public Pressure
Mass protests in 2022 forced Beijing to reverse course on intense surveillance policies.
Xinjiang Crackdown
Xinjiang saw a complete internet shutdown after 2009 riots, leading to mass internment and coerced labor.
Uyghur Resistance
Uyghur resistance has been crushed, Han settlement encouraged, and extractive industries are booming in Xinjiang.
Xi’s Health Rumors
Rumors about Xi Jinping’s health resurface after he appeared to walk shakily at the airport.
Scammers Sentenced
Three scammers received death sentences for pig-butchering scams and running protection rackets.
The short version
China’s surveillance state has gaps and high costs, leading to pandemic-era restrictions and public backlash that may prompt reforms.
