Covid was an exceptional scenario and also a convenient test period for that control. As for moving military forces into cities - it would be very viable. Look

Covid was an exceptional scenario and also a convenient test period for that control. As for moving military forces into cities - it would be very viable. Look at any situation on leaked social media where police or state actors are shutting down protests - for example when masses of Chinese citizens demonstrate against their employer or real estate scammers or banks or whatever. The authorities have an easy ability to bring lots of personnel and gear to any situation quickly. Then there’s the dystopian stuff that ranges from social credit scores preventing use of public transit to police drones patrolling the air between apartment buildings telling citizens to stay home. The Chinese society is under mass control all the time from all sides.