Surveillance in China during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Surveillance in China during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Author(s): Marcin Przychodniak
Subject(s): Civil Society, Government/Political systems, Political behavior, Politics and society, Sociology of Politics
Published by: PISM Polski Instytut Spraw Międzynarodowych
Keywords: People’s Republic of China; COVID-19 pandemic; surveillance during the pandemic; surveillance as tool of power; surveillance of society;
Summary/Abstract: Surveillance of society is one of the main tools of power in China. The COVID-19 pandemic gave the government an excuse to intensify oversight, including through the solutions previously used mainly against Uighurs in Xinjiang. The effectiveness of surveillance is important to the Chinese authorities because of possible unrest arising from economic problems connected with COVID-19. The importance of surveillance in managing the virus in China has also led to demand in democratic countries to introduce similar practices.

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