Jacksonville – While speaking in an airplane hangar addressing infrastructure improvements, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) for a few moments sidestepped the issue and brought forth a statement concerning the protests in China and the tech company Apple’s alleged nefarious actions concerning them.
China is currently attempting to install a “zero-COVID” policy after outbreaks resurfaced in Wuhan.
In a rare surge of protests in China, demonstrators called for the ruling Communist Party and its leader, Xi Jinping, to step down, amid anger at the deaths of at least 10 people in an apartment fire in Xinjiang, presumably during a strict Covid lockdown. https://t.co/7eT7YT4nHw pic.twitter.com/WT54Q0yC1M
— The New York Times (@nytimes) November 27, 2022
At one point, videos of the authoritarian regime showed government workers locking and sealing apartment buildings to keep residents inside. Subsequently, a fire broke out in one of those apartments, leaving residents stuck inside while the flames raged on. At least 10 people died.
In Ürümqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uyghur, 10 people BURNED ALIVE in a high-rise fire. Due to China’s COMMUNIST lock down policy, residents weren’t able to escape. ALL DOORS WERE LOCKED. IT WAS A COVID LOCKDOWN DEATH TRAP. Take a look:pic.twitter.com/HmQnToZddr
— Steve Hanke (@steve_hanke) November 26, 2022
Gov. DeSantis addressed the horrible conditions in China, while also calling out Apple for its decisions to help the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
The Chinese Communist Party’s “Zero COVID” policy is draconian, unscientific, and represents a gross violation of individual rights. The Chinese people are right to protest the maniacal impulse to exercise total control of the population which is the hallmark of the CCP regime. pic.twitter.com/pTMzG92u0U
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) November 29, 2022
“I just want to make a comment about what we’ve been seeing going on in China. This zero-COVID policy is draconian. It violates people’s liberties. And it is completely unscientific, and the people of China are right to be able to speak out and protest against what the Chinese Communist Party is doing. This CCP has a maniacal desire to exert total control over its population, zero-COVID is really just the pretext for them to do what they want to do anyways, and that is not a model that can work over the long term,” DeSantis stated.
Later on in the speech, DeSantis addressed Apple’s alleged pro-China decisions which are suppressing Chinese citizens abilities to speak out, demonstrate, and communicate.
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) November 29, 2022
“There’s reports that Apple is not allowing the protestors to use this AirDrop function, where they’re trying to communicate; that obviously is providing aid and comfort to the CCP. And so you see that report and that’s very concerning, and then when you also hear reports that Apple is threatening to remove Twitter from the App Store, because Elon Musk is actually opening it up for free speech and is restoring a lot of accounts that were unfairly and illegitimately suspended for putting out accurate information about COVID…and Twitter, the old regime of Twitter, their response was to try to suffocate the dissent,” DeSantis stated.
Many view that DeSantis’s more freedom-enticing approach the COVID lockdowns and mandates is what brought him to national prominence, and why many believe that he is considering a Presidential run in 2024.
Florida Rep. Michael Waltz also took issue with Apple but specifically targeted its CEO Tim Cook.
“It's absolutely disgusting. Tim Cook is an apologist for a dictatorship. I hope at some point he is held to account for that, but at this point, all his eggs are in CCP’s basket,” said Rep. Waltz during an appearance on the Fox Business Channel.
