The leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) urged in a meeting to “optimize” anti-pandemic measures over the next year at a time when the asian country is beginning to relax some of the restrictions of the zero covid policy, reported the local press today.
The Politburo of the PCCh, made up of 24 members, indicated during the meeting, chaired by the secretary general of the formation and president of the country, Xi Jinping, that China will aim at “better coordinate epidemic prevention and control and economic and social development,” according to the state agency Xinhua.
The Politburo meeting also dealt with economic issues, with the body aiming for a “general improvement” by 2023 in which it will focus on “stabilizing growth, employment and prices”, as well as “preventing and defusing important risks effectively”.
The CCP leadership also wanted guarantee the continuity of its “proactive” fiscal policy and its “prudent” monetary policyat the same time that he insisted on the promotion of a technological development that makes China stop being dependent on other countries.
Zhang Zhiwei, an analyst at Pinpoint Asset Management, was quoted by Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post, highlighting some “positive messages” from the Politburo such as the promise to “boost market confidence vigorously”which, in his opinion, anticipates “kinder” policies towards market players in 2023.
“Another important message is ‘take stronger measures to attract foreign investment’indicating that the government recognizes the risk of supply chains moving out of China,” the expert said.
In recent days, the official media have been minimized, through various articles and interviews with experts, the risk of omicron variant, a twist in the argument that occurs at a time when China has begun to slowly relax some of the strictest measures of the zero covid policy, in force for almost three years.
Vice Prime Minister Sun Chunlan, in charge of overseeing the ‘zero covid’ policy, assured last week that the low pathogenicity of the virus and the high rate of vaccination more than 90% of the populationAmong other factors, they have “created the conditions” for the country to “adjust measures against the pandemic” as it is in “a new situation.”
In this context, some cities have begun to relax the strict prevention measures of the ‘zero covid’ policy, which consists of the isolation of all those infected and their close contactsstrict border controls, partial or total confinements in places where cases are detected and constant PCR tests on the urban population.
In cities like Beijing, one is no longer required PCR test made in the previous 48 hours to enter establishments such as supermarkets or offices, but it is needed to enter restaurants and other establishments.
The changes come after the weariness of the restrictions led to protests in cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Canton or Wuhan, in which slogans such as “I don’t want PCR, I want to eat” or “give me back my freedom” were shouted.
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The Chinese Executive has also emphasized the need to “accelerate” vaccination of the elderlyone of the most vulnerable groups but also one of the most reluctant to be inoculated.
According to official figures, since the beginning of the pandemic 5,235 people died in Chinawhere some studies maintain that ‘zero covid’ has saved millions of lives.