Anthony Shen

Anthony Shen

College student in Shanghai

Anthony Shen is a college student in Shanghai.

A passenger wearing protective gear is seen at a train station in Beijing, China, on 28 December 2022. (Noel Celis/AFP)

Three years of Covid-19 exposes chronic political and social problems in China

China’s sudden opening up has taken many by surprise, and it seems that it was not just the people who were unprepared — the government itself appeared not to have planned for the aftermath of lifting all measures, leading to a shortage of medicine and vaccines, and a squeeze on healthcare resources. If anything, the three years of Covid-19 have highlighted the shortcomings of China’s political system. Chinese college student Anthony Shen shares his thoughts.