The people of Iran and China are at a make-or-break point in their history, and the West’s values-based diplomacy is the key to their fate.
By: Maryam Nayeb Yazdi and Jianli Yang | Nov 29, 2022
When Iranians headed to the streets in mass anti-regime protests in the summer of 2009, the people of China risked their own safety to support Iranians with the hashtag #CN4Iran. Now, more than a decade later, both nations are in the streets again, calling for basic human rights.
A wave of protests continues in Iran more than 70 days after the killing of Jina Mahsa Amini, while university students and civilians in China are taking to the streets to protest the Xi Jinping regime and its repressive zero-COVID polices. Chants such as “Xi Jinping step down,” “We want freedom, we want human rights,” and “we want universal values” have been heard so far. In one video, protesters are heard chanting in solidarity with the women of Iran.
Despite the rise in public anger and demonstrations in China, the authorities have so far been slow to respond and have refrained from cracking down with maximum force. This could signal that they weren’t ready for protests or that they feel confident in their ability to quash the protests before they get too big… [Continue Reading]
Source: https://thediplomat.com/2022/11/china-and-iran-at-the-tipping-point/