US President Joe Biden "keeps himself informed of what is happening, he is following it closely," White House spokesman John Kirby said Monday of the protests in China.

“The White House supports the right to demonstrate peacefully,” he said again in an exchange with the press, after demonstrations of historic proportions in China against health restrictions and in favor of more freedoms. .

John Kirby, spokesman for the National Security Council, a body attached to the American president, did not comment on the merits of these claims: “These demonstrators speak for themselves.

The spokesperson added that "nothing (had changed) in our desire to keep the channels of communication open" with the Chinese authorities, shortly after the meeting between Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the summit. G20 in Indonesia.

Discussions still scheduled

The two leaders, during a meeting intended to demine the relations which have become very tense between the two superpowers, had signaled their desire to relaunch discussions on certain areas where it would be possible for them to cooperate.

"We still intend to continue these discussions," said John Kirby.

“We have long said that everyone has the right to peaceful protest, here in the United States and around the world,” a State Department spokesperson previously said.

"This includes China," he said in a statement.

Historical movement

The United States considers vaccination, testing and treatment to be more effective than strict restrictions, added the spokesperson for American diplomacy.

“We think it will be very difficult for China to contain the virus with their zero Covid strategy,” he concluded.

“It will be very difficult to maintain confinements and zero Covid”.

The Chinese authorities were trying Monday to stem a movement of anger of historic proportions against health restrictions and for more freedoms.

On Sunday, a crowd of demonstrators, responding to calls on social networks, took to the streets in particular in Beijing, Shanghai and Wuhan, catching the police off guard.

By its extent on the territory, the mobilization seems the most important since the pro-democracy rallies of 1989, harshly repressed.

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