Senior Citizens Protest Medicare Cuts
Wuhan-Dalian, etc. on a large scale
In China, the recent spread of ‘gray-haired protests’, in which elderly people protest against the cut of medical subsidies, are taking to the streets, putting the authorities on edge. At the end of November of last year, Chinese young people held a white paper and held a ‘blank protest’ demanding the abolition of the ‘zero corona’ policy and freedom of the press, and another large-scale demonstration occurred.
According to Free Asia Broadcasting (RFA) and Taiwan’s Central News Agency on the 16th, large-scale protests against the local government’s medical subsidy cuts took place the day before in Wuhan, Hubei Province, and Dalian, Liaoning Province, China. RFA said, “Most of the protesters are elderly people with gray hair, so it is called the ‘gray-haired protest’.”
Estimates of the size of the protests are mixed. Reuters reported hundreds, RFA reported thousands, and Taiwan Central News Agency reported tens of thousands. It seems that foreign media estimated the scale based on videos posted on social media such as Twitter, at a time when Chinese media did not report any news of the protests.
The protests came after authorities in Wuhan and Dalian announced plans to cut medical subsidies for retirees by about 70% starting this month. The subsidy, which each individual received about 260 yuan (about 49,000 won) per month, was drastically reduced to 83 yuan (about 16,000 won). China has long adhered to the ‘zero corona’ policy, covering the cost of large-scale testing and quarantine with local medical insurance funds. Added to this is the economic crisis, and there is no clear way to resolve the local financial problems.
In addition to Wuhan and Dalian, other regions also have similar financial conditions, so some analyze that they are holding a ‘time bomb’ that may explode at any time. Taiwan’s Central News Agency said, “Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平), who is about to launch his third term in power next month, has been put to the test again.”
Beijing =
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.