The Chinese people have long known the risks associated with openly criticizing their president, but in recent weeks, some citizens have been willing to take those risks and go against the status quo. After a deadly fire in Urumqi that killed 10 people, locals blamed restrictive lockdown measures for hindering rescue efforts, sparking protests throughout Shanghai, Beijing, and other cities with chants of “Xi Jinping step down” and symbols of censorship. Not since the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests has President Xi faced such public defiance—which could result in a major political crisis for Beijing.

What makes this situation even more challenging is the contrast between the bleak picture at home versus the festive atmosphere surrounding Qatar’s hosting of the World Cup. This discrepancy has led to further public unrest, which was only worsened by a major clash taking place at the world’s biggest iPhone plant due to an outbreak there. All of these events together pose a significant challenge for President Xi Jinping and his government as they attempt to maintain control over internal affairs as international attention increases.

At this time, it remains unclear how China’s central government will respond to this mounting pressure. In previous years, any sign of dissent or criticism was swiftly dealt with through severe restrictions or imprisonment; however, with the current level of the public uprising and international spotlight, it may prove difficult to simply ignore these issues any longer. There is also growing concerned that if mishandled or mishandled too harshly by Beijing authorities, it could lead to more serious unrest among citizens and instability in many parts of China.

Thus far, President Xi Jinping has yet to make any formal response or statement regarding these issues; however, he is likely aware that how he deals with them will shape not only his own presidency but also China’s relationship with its citizens and international partners alike. As tensions continue to rise amidst unprecedented public defiance against his authority, only time will tell how President Xi Jinping will move forward from this challenging moment in Chinese politics.