Xi Jinping blames China’s Covid protests on ‘frustrated students’, report says

Chinese president’s remarks come as several cities ease severe ‘zero-Covid’ restrictions

China’s president Xi Jinping has blamed the continuing protests against the country’s strict Covid restrictions on “frustrated students”, according to a report.

His comments came during a three-hour meeting in Beijing on Thursday between Mr Xi and European Council president Charles Michel, reported the South China Morning Post.

During the meeting, Mr Michel “pleaded for use of vaccines and then raised the question of China’s measures and government measures”, a senior EU official was quoted as saying.