Residents line up to undergo nucleic acid testing in Shanghai, China, where city lockdowns continue to prevent the spread of COVID-19. [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] Videos capturing the voices of residents criticizing the authorities' quarantine measures and expressing dissatisfaction regarding the lockdown in Shanghai, China, are spreading through social networking services (SNS).
On the 23rd, a video titled "Voices of April," depicting the lockdown situation in Shanghai, China, was uploaded to YouTube.
This video explains the events that occurred during the Shanghai lockdown from mid-March, using subtitles and actual on-site audio, against the backdrop of a desolate Shanghai city filmed by drone.
It begins with a Shanghai official stating at a quarantine-related press conference on March 15 that the city would not be locked down. Then, on March 26, the authorities declared that Shanghai could not be locked down because it plays an important role in China's overall economic and social sectors.
However, from two days later, heartbreaking stories from Shanghai residents follow, as the city entered a phased lockdown. The video captures the cries of a baby separated from their parents, voices protesting for supplies, and appeals from children saying there is no hospital accepting their seriously ill father.
On the 23rd, a video titled "Voices of April" depicting the lockdown situation in Shanghai, China, was uploaded to YouTube. [Photo by YouTube capture]
Ending with a subtitle wishing for Shanghai's recovery, this video had approximately 740,300 views as of 5:50 PM on the 24th.
However, it is difficult to find this video within China itself. Online searches for related videos are blocked on Weibo, China's version of Twitter, and the portal site Baidu. Foreign media report that Chinese authorities' censorship is in effect.
In response, netizens are trying to evade censorship by making small changes such as altering the title and continue to spread the video. Multiple videos with the same content have been uploaded on YouTube.
Meanwhile, as the large-scale lockdown in Shanghai, which began on the 28th of last month, approaches nearly a month, the economic damage caused by it is beginning to be confirmed through statistical figures. According to the Shanghai city government on the 23rd, industrial production in Shanghai in March decreased by 7.5% compared to the same month last year. This is analyzed to be due to significant disruptions in industrial operations caused by lockdowns across the city amid the spread of COVID-19.
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