In recent days, Chinese have seen their health passports suddenly turn red, signifying mandatory quarantine, as they plan to vent their anger in Zhengzhou, the country’s largest metropolis.
Local authorities came under fire in China on Wednesday, June 15, after health passports were allegedly tampered with to prevent a demonstration in the center of the country.
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As the first country to be hit by Covid-19 and restrict its population, China was one of the very first in 2020 to generalize the health passport to control movement, identify contact cases and isolate the sick. Scanning a QR code with your phone and showing your credentials with an application that delivers a “green” ID, synonymous with good health, is a well-established gesture in China today and at the entrance to a building, to a Commercial and indoors required most transportation.
In recent days, several people have seen their health passports suddenly turn red (quarantine requirement), state media reported. Common point: All are disgruntled bank customers after the asset freeze who wanted to vent their anger in Zhengzhou, a major metropolis in central China. Weakened by the economic slowdown, four local banks have frozen all cash withdrawals since mid-April, trapping thousands of small savers. A situation that had led to rare demonstrations last month.
“This is clearly abuse of power”
Despite a negative PCR test, a customer found his health card turned red upon arrival in Zhengzhou, the Chinese press reports. Another had this mishap without leaving home, the media say, unanimously denouncing a possible premeditated act at the local level. Using the health card for purposes other than the epidemic is “against social morals” and a “crime,” criticized the Global Times, an English-language daily known for its nationalist diatribes.
When asked, Zhengzhou health authorities told AFP to “investigate” without giving any further explanation. The topic caused a stir on social networks in China on Wednesday, with tens of millions of views. Seeing a health card turn red for no reason “makes your back shake,” commented one user on Weibo, the local equivalent of Twitter. “This is clearly an abuse of power,” lamented another.
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The vast majority of Chinese willingly offer themselves up to the hidden object game to fight the Covid and scan health codes without batting an eyelid. Some voices, however, fear possible abuse for surveillance purposes in a country where maintaining social stability is an obsession.