Therefore, Xi does not leave zero covid strategy: "Difficult for Xi Jinping to change line"

It is unclear why China is applying the strict strategy.

One explanation could be the low vaccination coverage.

That's according to Björn Jerdén, PhD in political science and head of the National Knowledge Center on China at Ui, who himself believes that another explanation weighs more heavily.

- China's top leadership and Party General Secretary Xi Jinping have invested a lot of personal political capital in this line.

That makes it difficult to change lines now, says Jerdén.

He sees the protests as a "big loss of prestige" for Xi, who was recently re-elected as Communist Party general secretary.

"An incredible frustration"

Jerdén believes that the country's leadership has shown no desire to ease the restrictions, which may have fueled the protests.

- There seems to be incredible frustration in China.

People are simply experiencing great problems with this zero tolerance policy and you see no light at the end of the tunnel.