BEIJING (AP) — Chinese leaders on Thursday vowed to quarantine and other anti-virus policies after public frustration turned to protests, but said they would stick with a tough “zero COVID” strategy that has locked down millions of people. in their homes and disrupted the economy.
President Xi Jinping’s government is enforcing some of the world’s highest antivirus restrictions despite emerging costs, while other countries are easing and other restrictions. weeks to locate and isolate each and every inflamed person.
The ruling Communist Party’s seven-member Standing Committee said it will “unwaveringly adhere” to “zero COVID” but vowed to make it less disruptive. He said 20 changes had been approved, in addition to quarantine, testing and treatment, but gave no details. The party has committed to “stranded people” who have been quarantined or prevented for weeks from leaving localities where there are cases.
“We will protect people’s lives and physical condition as much as possible and minimize the effect of the epidemic on economic and social development,” party leaders said in a statement.
“Zero COVID” has kept China’s infection rate low, but it weighs on the economy and disrupted life through final schools, factories and department stores or sealing off neighborhoods without warning. The closure of Shanghai and other shopping malls from March shocked global trade.
Following a new surge in cases, an increasing number of spaces are end businesses and enforce traffic brakes. Videos posted on social media show other people in some spaces protesting or fighting with police and gym workers.
On Thursday, the National Health Commission reported that 1,133 new cases were detected in the past 24 hours, adding 500 in the southern shopping center of Guangzhou, the most recent hotspot. He said tests revealed another 7,691 people were inflamed. without symptoms.
Forecasters say China’s economic expansion is weakening after rebounding to 3. 9% year-on-year in the 3 months to September, from 2. 2% in the early part of the year. Economists expect annual expansion to be as low as 3 percent consistent with percent, less than a fraction of last year’s 8. 1 percent in line with the cent.
The Standing Committee appointed last month through a party congress also expanded Xi’s political dominance by appointing him to a third five-year term at the helm. It is full of its allies.
“Zero COVID” asks others to show a negative result from a virus test taken once a day to enter work buildings, buy groceries, shopping malls and other public places. Residents of cities with a single case in the last week are not allowed. to travel to Beijing, the capital.
Travelers will have to quarantine in a hotel for seven to ten days. Business teams say this discourages visits by foreign executives, leading corporations to move their investment plans to other countries.
Last week, access to a component of the central city of Zhengzhou, home to the world’s largest iPhone factory, was suspended following outbreaks. assistance and that race situations were not safe.
Also last week, others posted outraged comments on social media after the death of a 3-year-old boy whose compound in the northwest was quarantined for carbon monoxide poisoning. His father complained that the guards enforcing the lockdown refused to help him and tried to arrest him as he took his son to the hospital.
Health experts and economists say “zero COVID” will remain in position for another year. They say millions of seniors want to get vaccinated before Beijing can ease quarantine restrictions for others coming to China.
Stock costs of Chinese corporations soared on the Hong Kong stock market last week after rumors circulated on social media that Beijing was contemplating easing controls. They subsidized after the government failed to verify the rumors.