For weeks now China has been in lockdown because of the new coronavirus. Journalist Sebastien Le Belzic who works in Beijing has been living in quarantine at home with his family.
China is taking drastic measures in a bid to contain the spread of coronavirus. New rules are springing up on a daily basis and the government depends on loyal party members to enforce these measures at grassroots level. Since the early days of China’s communist revolution, neighborhood committee members have helped police the behavior of their neighbors, reporting back any perceived misdemeanors to people at the top.
Along with many others in the Chinese capital Beijing Sebastien Le Belzic has been forced to live in quarantine with his family. Social media platforms are one of the few ways to remain in touch with the outside world. Some brave bloggers are using these channels to share their experiences of the crisis. They are also putting themselves at considerable risk by publishing accounts that are not always in keeping with the party line. A film diary about day-to-day life in Beijing during the coronavirus pandemic.
