But experts on China say it's unlikely the protests will embolden future political movements.
The changes come after protests against COVID measures erupted all across China — rare for a country where dissent is snuffed out quickly.
Baogang He, the chair of international relations at Deakin University in Australia, agreed that the protests show how mass anger can influence government policy, but not regime change.
"No one is strong enough to exploit or dare to use these protests to mount a challenge to Xi Jinping," Xi, the professor, told Insider.
Chong said that although Xi holds extensive power in China, the protests and subsequent rollback both underscore how he can make major mistakes, too.