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Nov 28 • 3 tweets • 2 min read
A statement from the BBC on what happened to me in Shanghai last night while doing my job.

I understand at least one local national was arrested after trying to stop the police from beating me.

Thanks very much for the kind words and messages of concern.
It appears the authorities also briefly arrested my Swiss colleague @micpeuker. His equipment was seized. #shanghai
Clarification. Michael’s equipment was *not* seized I’m told.

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More from @EP_Lawrence

Edward Lawrence Profile picture
Nov 27
I’m at the scene of last night’s extraordinary anti Covid-zero protest in Shanghai. Many people are gathered here quietly watching. Lots of cops. Two girls laid flowers which were promptly removed by police. One man drove past with middle finger up at police. #shanghai
some small crowds are gathered on the sidewalks quietly watching the scene and the police presence. I’ve seen several people with flowers. One girl was holding a blank piece of paper.
One man has just approached me to say his flowers were confiscated by police. As he tells me this, two cops come over to listen to our conversation.
Read 5 tweets
Edward Lawrence Profile picture
Nov 21
Not meant as a moan, but merely an observation of my 2022, which feels a bit wasted, mostly due to covid measures.

1) Couldn’t get back into 🇨🇳 for 2 months due to border/ flight restrictions. Finally after 2 blood tests, 10 days in 🇨🇦, 9 PCRs and 15 days of quarantine, I’m in…
2) after finishing 15 days of quarantine (originally meant to be 21 but shortened as hotel needed for local cases), the strict “4 day” Shanghai lockdown starts and actually lasts two months - the only trips allowed outside are PCR tests.
3) lockdown significantly eases in June but the city is still hyper covid sensitive and life doesn’t really return to normal for a while (it still hasn’t completely). Small lockdowns happen for months across the city. They still happen now.
Read 12 tweets
Edward Lawrence Profile picture
Sep 21
In some cases, “companies are even questioning whether it is responsible for them to deploy foreign staff to China when the numerous restrictions mean they are unable to guarantee a basic duty of care for them and their families,”

wsj.com/articles/expat…
Good piece on situation for foreign business,
diplo missions, teachers and expats in general. "With little sign of a major shift in policy after 2½ years, many Western companies and embassies have concluded that the challenges they face in the country are no longer temporary."
also
"officials signaled recently that zero-Covid isn’t going anywhere, anytime soon. Xi himself has made multiple speeches extolling its virtue in protecting the country’s vast population, and as a public health issue that can’t be rushed."

@luoshanji

barrons.com/articles/china…
Read 4 tweets
Edward Lawrence Profile picture
Aug 6
The city of Sanya on Hainan Island has gone into full lockdown after a surge in covid-19 cases. Hainan is known as the ‘Hawaii of China’. 80k tourists are stranded according to local media.
As @Tominmedill points out, Hainan was quick to welcome quarantine-free entry to travellers from Shanghai, including me, after lockdown…
Authorities say that tourists are allowed to leave with two negative PCR tests within 48 hours. The problem for many now is finding a city that’ll take you, plus nearly all flights from Sanya Phoenix airport seem to be cancelled today… #sanya
Read 7 tweets
Edward Lawrence Profile picture
Mar 1
After a few months away, this is where my journey back to China starts - Chinatown in Soho, central London where I’ve got to get a PCR test 7 days before travel (done) and two more 48 hours before travel (today) from a clinic approved by the Chinese embassy. ImageImage
I’ll make this a thread and update as I navigate China’s strict covid-zero border (for those of you who are not sure what that entails). Looking forward to being back, but it’s a long haul - and probably about a month door to door. This includes 3 weeks of quarantine. More later.
After taking a PCR test 7 days before travel and 2 more 48hrs before travel, next is the special health clearance code from the Chinese embassy. To get this I’ve sent off my test results, Chinese vaccine records, a log of my temp for the past week and a vaccine declaration. Image
Read 50 tweets
Edward Lawrence Profile picture
Aug 10, 2021
Two minutes of searching and I’ve found “Wilson Edwards” on Facebook. He recently joined, has just three friends and has only posted once. That post has been widely cited by Chinese state media. 👇 ImageImageImage
I’ve done a quick reverse image search of the profile photo for the account. Seems to be from a website called No Man Before and is a picture of the Ratcliffe Science Library in Oxford. Compare below 👇 nomanbefore.com/oxford-vs-camb… ImageImage
Among those who’ve directly shared the post - @shanghaidaily and a Chinese diplomat based in Pakistan. ImageImage
Read 9 tweets

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