Many Chinese Universities Ease Post-COVID Lockdowns Amid Criticism

Central News Agency, Taipei, May 22. Chinese universities implemented lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic, and many continued these measures afterward, drawing criticism. This month, several prominent universities announced the easing of entry restrictions. Scholars argue that open campuses are the proper way for universities to operate and that this is a growing trend. Hong Kong's Ming Pao reported today that universities like Wuhan University and Huazhong University of Science and Technology have announced the full lifting of entry restrictions this month. Before the pandemic, Chinese universities were generally open to the public. Since the lockdowns, many have maintained strict reservation systems or remained closed. Tsinghua University and Peking University, in particular, offer very few visitor slots, making entry nearly impossible without school connections. A Ming Pao reporter was turned away from Tsinghua University for not having a pre-registered vehicle. A university official defended the reservation system, stating it helps control crowds and maintain normal operations. Former Tsinghua associate professor Zheng Yuhuang compared the gates of Peking University and Harvard University in a video, noting that Peking University's gates are heavily guarded and locked, while Harvard's are open. Zheng attributed the closed-door policy to 'lazy governance,' where administrators avoid responsibility by keeping the public out. He argued that public universities, funded by taxpayers, have a duty to serve the public and that closing their doors is irresponsible. Zheng has been conducting a 'campus gate experiment' across China, visiting dozens of universities to test their openness. He ranked over 40 universities, noting that 22, including Wuhan University and Shanghai Jiaotong University, are now fully open, while others like Peking University remain difficult to access. He noted that Shenzhen University's full openness was a pleasant surprise, confirming that campus opening is an inevitable trend.