Commies Like Fences Too

    The fear of Covid infections has caused China to fear invaders.  Human invaders who are infected.  There are lots of them as we know after 2 years into a pandemic.  China has a zero infections goal, sort of. The results of such a policy has forced the government, among other things, to focus most recently on the country's borders.   So, Beijing will now fortify its borders which are considerable, especially with Russya.  Although one could count on 1 hand the number of Russyans clamoring to enter China.  Not happening.

      Down south, a project that began 2 years ago includes sensors, cameras, and barbed wire.  Along the border with Vietnam, a 12' fence went up a year ago.  Locals are now prevented from visiting China to sell corn, and to harvest medicinal herbs in the cross border area.  What is it about fences that are the hallmark of Communist regimes?  Think Iron Curtain.  Think Gulag camps.  Think East and West Berlin.  Think Check Point Charlie.  Think Cuba.  And now-China.  Hmmmm.  China says it is to prevent people with Covid from entering the country and bringing in the highly infectious disease.

      How about in the Amur River area in the Far East?  4 million Chinese farmers and laborers descend on the area annually to plant crops, tend them, and harvest them to bring south to market(there is no market in Far East Russya).  Will they be stopped at the border now?  HArdly, that area is considered by China as historically part of the Middle Kingdom and old Mad Vlad wouldn't have the balls to mess with his new best friend forever Xi JP.  Locals on social media call it "The Great Southern Wall".  The beijingers call it "The Anti-Covid Great Wall".  Emporer Xi JinPing calls on Chinese to secure the borders and "safeguard the sacred land".  One has to love statements like that from dictators/Communists;  they think people like to hear such drivel.   Reviewed records indicate that the Beijingers fortified 285 miles of border, mostly in the south(Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam/Laos.  One southern city, Ruili, has seen elaborate efforts to control all border crossings.   Trucks must be stopped, searched, and sanitized before being allowed to crossover.  Then Chinese labor offloads the cargo and transfers same to Chinese trucks.  Using the Covid virus gives the Beijingers easy support to the new fences, the goal of which has always been to control the flow into and out of China.

          During the Cold War(remember that?), fences were a regular topic of discussion.  Many attempted escapes had to cross a no mans'land to safety, and rarely were these successfully carried out.  Watch towers were a common place fixture, manned with armed guards, like a concentration camp.  But never forget when dealing with Commies, fences are the norm.