Ending nearly three years of severe restrictions will bring an uptick in cases and deaths, creating political challenges for the government. But doing so is essential to restore the economic growth that underpins Communist Party's legitimacy.
BEIJING – China’s ability to execute major policies is always impressive, and the 180-degree turn on the zero-COVID strategy that it had been enforcing almost religiously for nearly three years is no exception. Virtually overnight, the government began tearing down once-ubiquitous COVID-19 testing centers. State media started emphasizing that the symptoms of the Omicron variant are very mild. Residents of many cities were suddenly released from lockdown: people in Guangzhou, for example, can now go from home quarantine to a karaoke bar within two hours.
BEIJING – China’s ability to execute major policies is always impressive, and the 180-degree turn on the zero-COVID strategy that it had been enforcing almost religiously for nearly three years is no exception. Virtually overnight, the government began tearing down once-ubiquitous COVID-19 testing centers. State media started emphasizing that the symptoms of the Omicron variant are very mild. Residents of many cities were suddenly released from lockdown: people in Guangzhou, for example, can now go from home quarantine to a karaoke bar within two hours.