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Peru's Pedro Castillo Impeached And Arrested After "Attempted Coup"; Far-Right Group Accused Of Plotting To Overthrow Government In Germany; Doctors At Kramatorsk Hospital Race To Treat Wounded Soldiers; Chinese Leader Seeks Closer Ties On Middle East Visit; U.S. Working to Limit China's Influence in Middle East; Shanghai Disneyland Reopens Again as China Eases Policies. Aired 12-12:45a ET
Aired December 08, 2022 - 00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: Ahead here on CNN NEWSROOM.
He went from peasant farmer to Peru's president, and now possibly prison, the rise and fall of Pedro Castillo.
A bizarre plot to overthrow Germany's government and return the Kaiser to power. Some of those arrested are former military accused of being armed, trained and ready to die.
And a lavish warm welcome for China's president as he arrives in Saudi Arabia with no awkward fist bumps, no fences to mend.
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Center, this is CNN NEWSROOM with John Vause.
VAUSE: Today we saw Peru's president attempt to dissolve Congress to avoid impeachment that sparked the mass resignation of government officials in protest has ended with Pedro Castillo ousted from power under arrest, the country's first female president sworn into office.
Supporters of President Castillo faced off against riot police as this tense drama unfolded in the Capitol, prosecutors accused Castillo of leading a criminal organization profiting from government contracts awarded to family and friends.
In just hours before an impeachment vote, Wednesday, he attended to stage what many have described as a coup by trying to install an emergency government and rule by decree.
The country's top court declared the move unconstitutional, the armed forces and police refuse to support him. And by days in, Castillo had been impeached, taken into custody for the alleged crime of rebellion.
Here's Vice President Dina Boluarte is now Peru's Head of State in just five years.
Reporter Stefano Pozzebon joins us now live from Bogota with the very latest on this. So, is this now over? Or is this just the beginning of a political crisis?
STEFANO POZZEBON, JOURNALIST (on camera): I think John, we could say that this is just a new chapter in a cycle of political crises that have happened in Peru for at least five years.
Boluarte, the first woman to hold the office is actually the sixth president in less than five years. Most of her recent predecessors did not complete their mandates too have been removed from office by Congress's action. You can understand what is her priority if you listen what she said in her very first day in her possession speech, take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DINA BOLUARTE, PRESIDENT OF PERU (through translator): I asked for a political truth to install a national unity government. This high responsibility calls upon us all, I am not asking for my government to be immune from scrutiny. What I am asking is time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
POZZEBON: What she's asking is time, it's probably because just as I said, like most of her predecessors lasted less than a year in office. Among Castillo himself lasted a mayor of 14, 15 months after being sworn in at the end of July last year and facing already two congressional votes for impeaching him, and then resulted to these dramatic last minute gamble of dismantling Congress and calling for early election, completely against the constitution to avoid yet another vote.
Perhaps as an international community, what he's specifically looking at right now is whether Boluarte can bring that stability that proves needs.
In the last recent years, Peru has experienced that a gigantic economic boom, we've always talked offer these proven miracle that even though the political situation was an earthquake after an earthquake, the economic -- the economy still managed to grow and been stable.
That is -- that has changed with the COVID-19 pandemic, the lockdown, the inflationary spiral, and everything that is going wrong with the economy this year in particular.
So, the Peruvian economy is also taking a hit. And now there is a political crisis on top of a very serious economic crisis. And for the first time in Peruvian history, there is a woman at the helm trying to solve this problem.
And what she's asking for us is time to be able to complete her mandate. Her mandate runs through the July 2026. And whether she will able to finish it or and break this trend is on everyone's guess, John.
[00:05:10] VAUSE: The only thing more unpopular in Peru right now than Castillo is the Congress. But Stefano, thank you for a long day from you. Many more long days to come laid out.
One of the largest police operations in post war Germany, 25 people have been arrested in nationwide raids accused of plotting to overthrow the government and return the Kaiser to power.
(INAUDIBLE) believe this plot was such as aspirational where some of those arrested ex-military had operation capability as well. CNN's Fred Pleitgen has our report from Berlin.
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FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The raid started in the early morning hours. Several thousand police officers searching dozens of locations across Germany, including the castle Waidmannsheil, home of the alleged ringleader.
CNN has tried reaching out, but it's not clear if he has a legal representative.
Based on current findings, the suspected terrorist group uncovered today was founded based on coup d'etat fantasies and conspiracy ideologies, Germany's interior minister said. The group is called Reichsburger or citizens of the Reich, and the alleged plotters were trying to overthrow the German government and install a monarchy with a prince at the helm, German authorities say.
Militant Reichsburger are united by the hatred for democracy for our state and for people who support our community, the interior minister said.
Conspiracy theorists have a massive following in Germany. In August 2020, tens of thousands including QAnon followers and right- wing extremists took to the streets of Berlin praising Russian leader Vladimir Putin and then U.S. President Donald Trump.
Do you like Donald Trump?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
PLEITGEN: Why?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The deep state have for long time manipulated the people, the human, and that must end.
PLEITGEN: The crowd tried to storm German parliament that day, similar to the insurrection in the U.S. on January 6th, 2021. Crowds ransacking the Capitol with members of the Oath Keepers' militia group playing a key role in the violence.
That's another parallel to the alleged coup in Germany, the Reichsburger II had already established a so-called military arm, German prosecutors say. This military arm aims to set up a new German army, the federal prosecutor said, consisting of homeland security units yet to be built. According to our information, individual members of this military arm were in the past active in the German armed forces.
Several suspects were flown to the federal prosecutor's office by police helicopters, an indication of just how seriously German authorities are taking this attack on their democracy.
Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Berlin.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: We're joined now by Brian Levin, the director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism. Brian, thank you for being with us. It's been a while.
BRIAN LEVIN, DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF HATE AND EXTREMISM: Hi, John, thanks so much for having me.
VAUSE: So, OK, so now the headline from the economist today, it described this as a harebrained plot to restore a king. Many people may have had a similar reaction when the story broke. But I want you to listen to the interior minister for the state of Bavaria, listen to this.
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JOACHIM HERRMANN, BAVARIAN INTERIOR MINISTER (through translator): This is obviously one of the largest terrorist organizations that has existed in the more right-wing sector in recent years.
We can see that what some people consider to be completely absurd fantasies can lead to a highly dangerous decision to act.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: So, while the plot may have been absurd or harebrained, it seems the threat itself was very real. So, explain how these two ideas can exist side by side.
LEVIN: John, what a great question. The Ku Klux Klan in late 1865 started as a lark. And indeed, QAnon here in the United States, of which this is partially based, but it's got so many tentacles and analogues to what we've been seeing here, but a lot of things Hitler was dismissed initially too.
So, the fact that there might be something bizarre about a conspiracy theory or a hatred does not mean that that group cannot go off the rails and become an actual national security threat. We've seen it time and time again.
VAUSE: And with regards to the threat, a number of those arrested appear to be former military, ex-military and the infiltration of Germany security services by right-wing extremists, has been a concern for a while now. But in this instance, given their ability and the allegations that
there was weapons training, and they had acquired weapons, and they had this capability, that adds to the seriousness of the threat as well. So, where does this all go from here?
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LEVIN: Well, we've been seeing plot rise in Germany for years, so even as attacks plateaued, and then we've seen them sporadically occur, plots have been uncovered quite a bit.
And one of the things that I think is so interesting about the points that you're making is that, you know, ARD, which is this right-wing political party had success in the last part of last decade. And this is a spin off.
And what I think is so interesting is when you have these conspiracy theories, in this case, the COVID restrictions were part of this. This looks very much like a carnival mirror reflection of some of the very types of strange conspiracies that we see here in the United States.
Indeed, they travel in a similar stream, but they localize it to their own particular regional biases, as well as to charismatic figures that can take this forward.
And as we've seen here in the United States with the insurrection, elected people, former military, this kind of thing is not -- is not the last thing you'll see out of Germany, or the United States. There have been plots before, not from the Reichsburger, well, we certainly seen cops and killing of a police officer last decade from this particular group.
But what I'm saying to you is that fertile soil not only produces entities like this which have 21,000 members, but others as well that are similarly situated with regard to ideology and grievance against the state, in this case, saying the state is illegitimate.
VAUSE: I want you to listen to Germany's chief federal prosecutor with details on those who are accused of planning to overthrow the government. Here he is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PETER FRANK, GERMAN CHIEF FEDERAL PROSECUTOR (through translator): The accused are united by a deep rejection of state institutions in Germany. The arrested persons adhere to conspiracy mess consisting of various narratives of the Reichsburger ideology, as well as the QAnon ideology.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: It's hard to kill an idea but at least with ISIS and Al-Qaeda, you can kill the leader. QAnon doesn't have a known leader. And as you say, (INAUDIBLE) international borders be damn.
So, I'm wondering, do you look at these arrests as being good news in a way, but also do they raise concerns about what else is out there?
LEVIN: It does raise concern about what else is out there. But this Prince Heinrich XIII, because he's such a charismatic figure, for this particular (AUDIO GAP) it's going to be a serious blow.
But what I'm saying to you is the same kind of rejection of governance that we see here, whether it's QAnon or the sovereign citizen movement, which is related, but much older. Here we're seeing in Germany, something that is a reflection of what we're seeing here. Sovereign citizens here reject the government and go back to a prior -- sovereign citizens tried to do the same thing.
But here, once you -- once you lose the charismatic leader, these groups oftentimes splinter. But what I'm saying to you is that fertile soil for conspiracism and far-right extremism. This threat is not just from one particular group, it's across a spectrum on the far-right, and even posing a problem in Germany, including fatal violence.
This is a very important thing that was done, thousands of police officers expect more arrests going forward.
VAUSE: Brian, I wait for the day when your expertise and insight is not needed. But for now, thank you very much.
LEVIN: Thank you, as always, John.
VAUSE: Russian President Vladimir Putin says his country will use "All means available if necessary", which many believe is code for nuclear weapons in what he calls a fight for Russia's national interests.
Putin says right now, half of the 300,000 men caught up for Russia's partial mobilization are now in Ukraine. 77,000 are in combat units.
(INAUDIBLE) many of Russia's Human Rights Council that he'd worked to resolve the issue of equipment shortages for the troops. His comments coming as NATO Secretary General says Russia is now looking to take a break in the war to try and regroup because Ukraine has the momentum.
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JENS STOLTENBERG, SECRETARY GENERAL, NATO: What we see now is that Russia is actually attempting to try to have some kind of freeze of this war, at least for a short period of time so they can regroup, repair, recover and then try to launch a bigger offensive next spring.
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VAUSE: And as tensions remain heightened along Ukraine's northern border, Belarus is announcing its moving troops and military equipment, citing terrorism threats. That's according to state media. Belarus has also announced the start of military exercises.
Meantime in eastern Ukraine, soldiers severely wounded in battle and now flooding into a trauma hospital in the city of Kramatorsk. The doctors are working urgently to save lives.
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CNN's Sam Kiley went inside to see their work as it happens.
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SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Wartime brain surgery in tandem, wounded in battle on the same day, on the same front, two young men, the focus of these over practice neurosurgeons.
Kramatorsk is often bombed. The windows even in here are taped to slow flying glass. The effort is intense to repair brains to save lives, memories, loves and future dreams.
They would have little idea where to start their delicate work. If they didn't have use of this, C.T. scanner. It can pinpoint damage, find what it's done, and it gives surgeons a plan of action.
He says yes, and unfortunately there is no left eye, there's a suspicion of damage to the right eye as well, but definitely no left eye.
This is the fourth patient we've seen in the space of about an hour come in for a C.T. scan. It's supposed to be doing 15 or 20 a day. They're actually doing 70 or 80. In short, it's wearing out.
This equipment is vital. The hospital can't afford a new one. But a used ones for sale in the west of Ukraine cost about 120,000, price of losing this one incalculable.
He says he shows signs of severe cranial cerebral injury with acute subdural hematoma and severe brain contusion, he needs urgent surgery.
The administrators here have raised about $60,000, they need help with the rest. This is the only C.T. scanner in a vast region.
Critical, this machine is critical. C.T. is critical to provide appropriate care for patients with both head wounds and acute brain injuries.
Is it saving lives?
Definitely, absolutely 100 percent.
There's been a steady flow of soldiers injured in a near Bakhmut. That is the scene of the heaviest fighting. This is a hospital that is trying to deal really with an area they say about 300 square kilometers and a lot of that is at war.
Some soldiers are relatively lucky. Duck (PH) was shooting mortars at the Russians who shot mortars back.
My commander was lucky, he sat in front of me and I sat behind him and he was unhurt and I got hit in the leg. But yes, we've seen wounded and dead before. If I'm sitting here, I'm lucky.
Ukrainians on this eastern front call it the meat grinder. Check (PH) was alongside Duck when they were hit.
How would you describe the battle for Bakhmut?
He says World War I, trenches, mud, blood, trenches. "Madigan" artillery trench warfare, that's it. World War I and World War II, something like that, Verdun, something like that.
The difference is that modern weapons are now more powerful. Modern surgery often the only route to survival, that an old fashioned grid.
Sam Kiley, CNN in Kramatorsk.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: It's considered one of the most controversial requests from Ukraine since the war began. That's according to multiple U.S. and Ukrainian officials. There's been a Ukrainian request from the Biden administration and members of Congress to provide the Ukrainian military with cluster munitions warheads. Weapons banned by more than 100 countries, not the U.S. though notably.
CNN has exclusively learned senior Biden administration officials have been fielding this request for months and so far have not rejected it outright.
Both Ukraine and Russia have used cluster bombs during the war. But according to an investigation by Human Rights Watch, Russians have used them more often and against civilian targets.
Still to come here on CNN NEWSROOM, touchdown in Saudi and the beginning of what both countries declare, will be the beginning of a new era of cooperation between Saudi Arabia and China and a clear message to the United States.
Also, a new documentary on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Buckingham Palace is bracing for a bombshell.
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VAUSE: Well, there's no awkward fist bump, no need to mend fences, just a full court press of pomp and pageantry for Chinese President Xi Jinping as he arrived in Saudi Arabia for a three day visit.
He's taking part in two major summits, which many believe could threaten U.S. influence in the region.
CNN's International Diplomatic Editor Nic Robertson has our report.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR (voice over): President Xi Jinping's arrival in Riyadh as much about the substance of China-Saudi relations as it is about signaling Saudi Arabia's growing power. When the leaders met last February 2019, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince
Mohammed bin Salman MBS needed Xi's handshake. The Chinese president welcome, intentionally helping MBS shake off his image of international pariah, following the brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
SHAOJIN CHAI, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, SHARJAH UNIVERSITY: It was China invited him to go to China and give him a big applause and they understand each other. They're looking forward this long term -- long term rule for their own respective countries.
ROBERTSON: Xi is greeting this time even with COVID protocols better than Biden's five months ago. Also a significant diplomatic message.
Biden got a much criticized fist bump from MBS, a promise arms deal and departed vowing not to leave a vacuum in the Middle East for China and Russia to fill.
Xi bridles at that, claims not to be in a regional power play, but does want Saudi Arabia free of U.S. limitations.
CHAI: The Chinese government or Xi himself want to achieve strategic autonomy of the Middle East countries, including Saudi, GCC or Arab states.
ROBERTSON: The detailed substance of the meetings isn't on the record yet, but is likely to include a joint multibillion dollar petrochemical venture, and very possibly Chinese weapons sales too, maybe drones.
During Biden's visit, I asked Saudi's Foreign Minister if the then newly agreed defense cooperation with the United States negated Saudi's desire for Chinese arms too.
PRINCE FAISAL BIN FARHAN AL-SAUD, SAUDI FOREIGN MINISTER: We see really the U.S. as a primary partner in defense procurement. But of course, if we can't get U.S. equipment, we will look elsewhere.
ROBERTSON: But the Xi-MBS relationship isn't just about MBS playing U.S. interests against China's.
AL-SAUD: China's the world's second largest economy and that we in order for the region, the globe to have a pathway to sustainable prosperity and cooperation, not confrontation.
ROBERTSON (on camera): According to the Saudi government, China's been its top trading partner for the past five years, trading volumes last year reaching close to $82.4 billion, almost half of that, Saudi oil sales to China.
When Xi and MBS met in 2019, the world was a different place. COVID-19 had yet to break out in Wuhan hammering the global economy.
[00:25:03]
Today, President Xi has consolidated his grip on China, but still struggles to control COVID and the ensuing unrest at home.
MBS is also consolidating his power at home and is trading global pariah status for global power broker through OPEC Plus, crimping world oil supplies.
MBS is also eyeing China's 5G Tech, believed by Biden and allies to give China potential access to U.S. national security data.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There are certain partnerships with China that would create a ceiling of what we can do.
ROBERTSON: After his time with MBS, Xi will meet with GCC leaders in what's being called the first China Arab Summit, unlikely push for a free trade agreement and energy security.
Nic Robertson, CNN, London.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Michael Singh is a senior fellow and managing director of The Washington Institute, who served as a foreign policy adviser during the George W. Bush administration.
Thanks for being with us.
MICHAEL SINGH, SENIOR FELLOW, THE WASHINGTON INSTITUTE: Great to be with you, John.
VAUSE: OK, so compared to Joe Biden's visit just a few months ago, Xi Jinping was given quite the welcome by the Saudis that included a fighter jet escort. And when he was on the tarmac, he was met by the Saudi foreign minister.
The U.S. president had a very low key arrival, he was greeted by a provincial governor and no government ministers.
And as we reported earlier on CNN, Saudi's MBS Mohammed bin Salman rolls out the red carpet for China's Xi in a not too subtle message to Biden.
So, to the airport greetings kind of sum up where the relationship stands right now between these three leaders.
SINGH: Well, you know, John, I think these split screens are certainly not accidental, and I think we'll see more of them as Xi's visit to Saudi Arabia proceeds.
Because remember, when President Biden arrived in Saudi Arabia, it was in the context of a relationship that had actually been quite acrimonious between himself and Mohammed bin Salman.
And then he was coming almost reluctantly to Saudi Arabia. And, of course, there's been some dispute between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia since.
And so, you know, it certainly suits Saudi Arabia to send this message that, hey, we have alternatives here. You know, we have other relationships with great powers in the world. And it certainly suits Xi Jinping, and it suits Beijing to project that China is, you know, being received at least on par with the leader of the United States.
VAUSE: And Beijing isn't exactly playing down the importance of the visit. Here's a foreign ministry spokesperson in Beijing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAO NING, CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON (through translator): This is the first most important and largest scale diplomatic activity between China and the Arab world since the founding of the People's Republic of China, it will become an epochal milestone in the history of the development of relations between China and Arab states.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: And presumably, this relationship won't be bothered by demands for human rights reforms, for example, don't order the murder of a journalist by using a bone saw to cut them into pieces.
But I'm wondering, yes, that's sort of a given right now. But how does China's very close relationship with Iran factor into all of this?
SINGH: Well, I think that will really be the subtext for Xi's meeting with these Arab leaders and Arab foreign ministers, because there's no doubt that while they all enjoy the relationship they have with China, especially the economic relationship, China is also providing an economic lifeline to Iran, and China has supported Iran in other ways. And they regard Iran in the Arab world, in the Gulf States, especially as their number one threat.
And so, I think that you won't see Iran maybe in any public joint communique. But certainly China's support for Iran will come up in the meeting.
And certainly, they're going to be looking to see, does Xi after visiting Saudi Arabia eventually also pay a call either to Iran, or at least with his Iranian counterpart, because China has always assiduously sought balance between Saudis and the Iranians in its original relationships.
VAUSE: Yes, China and Saudi Arabia established a diplomatic relations in July 1990. That's what the spokesperson was referring to.
They signed a secret weapons deal with Beijing, oh, this is two weeks before the Gulf War. So, there are echoes in a way from the party. But the one big difference this time seems to be how the rest of the world is reacting to this. Here's the national security Spokesman John Kirby.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN KIRBY, PRESS SECRETARY, PENTAGON: Sovereign nations have every right to conduct bilateral relations that they see fit. We would like China and Saudi Arabia speak to this particular visit on their own. We are not asking nations to choose between the United States and China.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Except for the fact that they are, it seems that's exactly what they're doing. The Undersecretary of Defense, I think recently warned the region that cooperating too closely with China could actually damage ties with Washington. And there's a State Department team in the region right now trying to limit China's influence.
So, if the U.S. fails to rein in China, what does that mean for the rest of the world here?
SINGH: Well, I think that to some extent, of course, yes, the U.S. is asking these states to limit their ties with China. I think it's not a choice in the grand sense.
[00:30:10]
But certainly, there is a request. You know, don't do business with the Chinese military. Don't accept Chinese technologies, such as 5G technology. So these requests have been made.
I think the question, though, is is the United States effectively communicating our priorities? And, I'm not sure that our partners in the region feel as though we. I think they feel as though each month, it's a new priority, perhaps. And that's -- and that's something that has left them a bit confused, I think.
I think that the real question for the United States is how far will these Chinese inroads go? Will, for example, we see more Chinese involvement in the security sector in the Middle East? And will we see more Chinese political involvement in the Middle East? Or perhaps even involvement in their internal security through, say, surveillance technology?
If that happens, it may serve as a limiting factor on how far the U.S. relationships with these traditional partners can go. And that would have a big impact on American strategy in the Middle East, for sure.
JOHN VAUSE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Michael, thanks for being with us. Really appreciate your time and your insights.
SINGH: Thank you, John.
VAUSE: Still to come, this hour, as Beijing rolls back the zero-COVID, experts now warning the country is not ready for what's yet to come.
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VAUSE: Welcome back, everyone. I'm John Vause. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM.
Well, there's a little more happiness at the happiest place on earth Wednesday. Well, at least in Shanghai, with the reopening there of Disneyland, which comes as the communist government begins to roll back its much-despised zero-COVID policy. For now, we head live to Hong Kong and senior international
correspondent, Ivan Watson.
So, Ivan, what, Beijing flying the white flag of surrender, admitting zero-COVID just doesn't work? What happens next now in terms of the spread of the coronavirus?
IVAN WATSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think nobody in Beijing would admit to surrendering. And there's no talk at all about ending zero-COVID.
It's this kind of new narrative that the authorities are adapting to a new reality, and they want to take some of the burdens off of ordinary people. But there are substantial changes that amount to basically saying, hey we're going to live with this illness now.
Some of them are no longer requiring negative COVID tests to get into public places, this all across the country. Removing the restrictions on travel between regions and provinces.
So that means people can put their Mickey Mouse ears on and go to Shanghai and go to Shanghai Disney. Another is that, if you test positive and you're asymptomatic or have mild symptoms, or if you're close contact, you no longer get bundled off and trapped in a COVID government-run quarantine camp, which we've heard a lot of complaints about.
[00:35:14]
I think two reactions that we're seeing, reported in the state media, illustrate how people in China are reacting.
On the one hand, the search volume for plane tickets on the travel platform C trip, immediately surged by 160 percent on Wednesday as people got excited about travel again.
On the flip side, sales of cold, fever, cough, and inflammatory drugs drew -- grew 18-fold on the e-commerce platform JD.
Two realities: you can start to live a normal life again, but there are also fears about COVID hitting the population at large.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WATSON (voice-over): China is the last country in the world still trying to completely eradicate COVID. But after months of harsh restrictions, some of the COVID lockdown barriers in China are starting to come down.
This move by authorities comes just days after protests erupted across the country, against Beijing's zero-COVID policy.
This breath of fresh air for some exhausted citizens carries a harsh reality. Experts predict a tough COVID winter is likely coming.
PROF. BEN COWLING, CHAIR OF EPIDEMIOLOGY, HONG KONG UNIVERSITY: The winter is the worst time to have a large epidemic because hospitals may already be under pressure for other reasons during the winter.
WATSON (voice-over): The highly-contagious Omicron variant is already spreading through the Chinese population.
DR. LEANA WEN, CNN MEDICAL ANALYST: Unlike the rest of the world, very, very few people in China proportionately have had COVID. And that's because of these strict lockdowns that the Chinese government has implemented. And, so, there's a very low baseline immunity.
The other issue is that China has been using its domestically-produced vaccines, which are less effective than the mRNA vaccines.
WATSON (voice-over): China has one of the world's highest COVID vaccination rates. But vaccination for the elderly in China lags far behind. Twenty-three percent of Chinese citizens over 80 are completely unvaccinated. That leaves roughly 8.4 million very vulnerable unvaccinated people.
COWLING: So if COVID was to spread through China now. I think we'd see a lot of severe cases in that group of people with either no vaccination or no recent vaccination.
WATSON (voice-over): Epidemiologists say Hong Kong may offer a roadmap for what could happen in mainland China. After Hong Kong successfully maintained a zero-COVID bubble for nearly two years, Omicron spread out of control here last winter.
WATSON: At the peak of the outbreak, Hong Kong suffered more than 7,000 deaths in six weeks, most of them elderly. At the time, it was the highest COVID mortality rate in the world, driven largely, experts say, by very low vaccination rates among people over 60.
WATSON (voice-over): Per capita, mainland China has almost half the number of critical care beds in hospital, compared to Hong Kong.
WEN: China got its investments backwards. So, by putting their focus on testing and not on vaccines and treatments, China has actually not prepared the country and the citizens for what happens when zero-COVID ends, which it inevitably would end at some point.
WATSON (voice-over): China was the scene of the world's first known COVID outbreak in December of 2019. If the experts are right, it could also be the last country that faces a COVID crisis.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WATSON: So, John there is a scientific model that takes the experience that Hong Kong endured and projects it onto China, the world's most populous country, mainland China, 1.4 billion people.
And it forecasts that China could lose from one to slightly more than 2 million people due to this disease.
The Chinese government has announced plans to jump-start its vaccination program to reach the elderly, the most vulnerable. A lot of health care experts are wondering why they didn't start this earlier -- John.
VAUSE: Good question. Ivan, thank you. Ivan Watson, live for us in Hong Kong.
Well, on the eve of an explosive, six-part documentary on Harry and Meghan, once again, Buckingham Palace bracing for bombshells and everything else that's about to come their way.
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VAUSE: Jamaica's prime minister has declared a state of emergency across parts of the island nation, because of the rise in violent crime.
The country has one of the highest murder rates in the Caribbean. The emergency declaration will allow police to make arrests and search buildings without a warrant.
The move is being met with backlash from the public and opposition politicians. But the prime minister says Jamaicans should be able to enjoy Christmas, free from the threat of violence.
"TIME" magazine's Person of the Year" for 2022 is the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, along with the spirit of Ukraine, shown by his fellow citizens.
Mr. Zelenskyy has won widespread acclaim for leading this country in the fight against Russia's invasion. Just a few years ago, he was a comic, an actor.
Now, "TIMES" editor says President Zelenskyy is known for galvanizing Ukraine's troops and the world with his impassioned daily speeches, and for refusing to flee Kyiv when Russia began dropping bombs.
"TIME" says Zelenskyy and the countless individuals who embodied the spirit of Ukraine made for a clear-cut choice, quote, "For proving that courage can be contagious as fear, for stirring people and nations to come together in defense of freedom, for reminding the world of the fragility of democracy and of peace."
In just over two hours, Netflix will release its much-hyped docuseries on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Buckingham Place is bracing for what Harry and Meghan will reveal.
Netflix says the series is one of the most high-profile love stories in history. And the trailer promises -- promises explosive details.
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PRINCE HARRY, UNITED KINGDOM: There's a hierarchy in the family. You know, there's leaking, but there's also planting of stories.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There was a war against Meghan to suit other people's agendas.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's about hatred. It's about race. It's a dirty game.
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VAUSE: The first three episodes can be seen all at the same time. The next three will come a week later. So far, no comment yet on the series from Buckingham Palace. Maybe they don't care.
I'm John Vause. I'll be back at the top of the hour with more CNN NEWSROOM. But first, WORLD SPORT starts after the break. See you in just under 17 minutes.
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