Zero Covid has wrecked the Chinese economy. A report has claimed that the lockdowns were costing the country at least $46 billion in a month. Palki Sharma tells you how the Chinese economy is struggling.

Gravitas: How Zero Covid ravaged Chinese economy

A pregnant Chinese woman who miscarried after being denied access to medical treatment due to the COVID-19 lockdown has reignited debate over the limits of China's zero-tolerance approach.

China, where the coronavirus was discovered in 2019, is among the last places still adhering to "Zero Covid", putting millions of people in quarantine even as it prepares to host next month's Winter Olympics.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinas-zero-covid-policy-will-not-work-says-scientist-who-warned-of-omicron-440021">China's zero-Covid policy will not work, says scientist who warned of Omicron</a>

Let's take a look at the 'Zero Covid' policy and its ramifications.

What is 'Zero Covid'?

The Chinese government reports that through this policy it has managed to contain more than 30 outbreaks of COVID-19, including some that were caused by the more contagious delta variant. There are strict measures in place to keep the infection from spreading, including mass testing, lockdowns, and extensive quarantines.

How is China maintaining 'Zero Covid'?

To curb outbreaks, China uses "dynamic zero" formula: tight lockdowns and immediate mass testing.

In contrast to other places where lockdowns are softer, people in China may be forbidden from leaving their buildings or confined to their rooms if they are deemed high-risk contacts.

The city of Xi'an, home of the famed Terracotta Warriors, was shut down in December after 150 cases were reported, forcing its 13 million residents indoors.

One incident that can be called extreme occurred in the similar-sized city of Zhengzhou where all residents were tested after just 11 cases.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/xian-lockdown-chinese-city-reports-community-transmission-hemorrhagic-fever-439629">&nbsp;Xi'an lockdown: Chinese city reports community transmission, hemorrhagic fever</a>

In a recent incident, the Chinese authorities have locked down several supermarkets after coronavirus traces were found in fruits imported from&nbsp;Vietnam. According to reports, at least nine cities in Zhejiang and Jiangxi provinces have found coronavirus samples in&nbsp;dragon fruit&nbsp;imported from Vietnam.

International flights are a fraction of their pre-pandemic levels, and arrivals are subject to strict quarantine for weeks.

As a result of mandatory track-and-trace applications, close contacts are usually discovered and quarantined quickly.

Does the strategy work?&nbsp;

Just over 100,000 cases have been logged in China since the pandemic began, a fraction of the one million cases logged by the US in one day earlier this month.

Officially, fewer than 5,000 people have died.

While it is widely believed that the initial outbreak in Wuhan in early 2020 was under-reported, life has largely returned to normal since then.

"There is still no ability to stop single local cases from appearing, but we have the ability and confidence to quickly extinguish the outbreak when a local case is found," Liang Wannian an official with the National Health Commission told reporters last month.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-shuts-supermarkets-after-virus-traces-found-in-dragon-fruit-from-vietnam-442545">China shuts supermarkets after virus traces found in dragon fruit from Vietnam</a>

What is the cost of 'Zero Covid' and who pays it?&nbsp;

Yes, "Zero Covid" comes at a price. There have been almost constant lockdowns near Myanmar's border, and businesses have been forced to flee from these areas.

Communities that have been locked down have complained of inadequate food supplies, medical care, and supplies.

In the meantime, onerous travel rules and restrictions have left migrants separated from their families for months.

In many cases, enforcement has been heavy-handed. One incident that had sparked outrage, had quarantine staff beat a Corgi to death after its owners were quarantined.

Even though China is the only major economy to grow in 2020, repeated factory and business closures are contributing to the country's slowdown.

Is China ever going to reopen?

Ben Cowling, an epidemiologist at Hong Kong University, says that "China certainly has shown it is feasible to continue the zero Covid strategy almost indefinitely."&nbsp;

March 2020 marked the country's effective cut-off from the world. Foreigners have practically been forbidden entry.&nbsp;

Although restrictions on travel have eased slightly since then,&nbsp;international tourism remains non-existent. The government has said it will not renew Chinese passports until a valid reason for travelling has been provided.

The country is unlikely to reopen until after the upcoming Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Beijing, with the government desperately guarding the capital and tightening restrictions ahead of the Games.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Covid-19 in fruit? China shuts supermarkets

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What about the Chinese who don't agree with this strategy?

There has been a nationalistic backlash against those who question "zero Covid."

Zhang Wenhong, a noted Chinese medical expert, opined in July that countries must "learn to coexist with the virus", which prompted online attacks from trolls.

In the event that China opens up, what will happen?&nbsp;

There are conflicting opinions.

Researchers at Peking University say China is at risk of suffering a "colossal outbreak" if restrictions are relaxed to the same level as in Europe and the US.

Meanwhile, Ivan Hung, a Hong Kong University infectious diseases expert, said second-generation vaccines targeting the Delta and Omicron variants, combined with high vaccination rates, could prevent a disaster.

Hung predicts that Covid will be similar to influenza in this scenario.

However, allowing the virus in could be risky for Xi Jinping, who is vying for a third term in October after he billed himself as a leader who would keep China safe.

"When it does come, the transition may not be easy because Chinese society has gotten quite used to a low level of transmission," says Thomas Hale of the University of Oxford.&nbsp;

A pregnant Chinese woman who miscarried after being denied access to medical treatment due to the COVID-19 lockdown has reignited debate over the limits of China's zero-tolerance approach.

A pregnant Chinese woman who miscarried after being denied access to medical treatment due to the COVID-19 lockdown has reignited debate over the limits of China's zero-tolerance approach. China, where the coronavirus was discovered in 2019, is among the last places still adhering to "Zero Covid", putting millions of people in quarantine even as it prepares to host next month's Winter Olympics. Also read | China's zero-Covid policy will not work, says scientist who warned of Omicron Let's take a look at the 'Zero Covid' policy and its ramifications. What is 'Zero Covid'? The Chinese government reports that through this policy it has managed to contain more than 30 outbreaks of COVID-19, including some that were caused by the more contagious delta variant. There are strict measures in place to keep the infection from spreading, including mass testing, lockdowns, and extensive quarantines. How is China maintaining 'Zero Covid'? To curb outbreaks, China uses "dynamic zero" formula: tight lockdowns and immediate mass testing. In contrast to other places where lockdowns are softer, people in China may be forbidden from leaving their buildings or confined to their rooms if they are deemed high-risk contacts. The city of Xi'an, home of the famed Terracotta Warriors, was shut down in December after 150 cases were reported, forcing its 13 million residents indoors. One incident that can be called extreme occurred in the similar-sized city of Zhengzhou where all residents were tested after just 11 cases. Also read | Xi'an lockdown: Chinese city reports community transmission, hemorrhagic fever In a recent incident, the Chinese authorities have locked down several supermarkets after coronavirus traces were found in fruits imported from Vietnam. According to reports, at least nine cities in Zhejiang and Jiangxi provinces have found coronavirus samples in dragon fruit imported from Vietnam. International flights are a fraction of their pre-pandemic levels, and arrivals are subject to strict quarantine for weeks. As a result of mandatory track-and-trace applications, close contacts are usually discovered and quarantined quickly. Does the strategy work? Just over 100,000 cases have been logged in China since the pandemic began, a fraction of the one million cases logged by the US in one day earlier this month. Officially, fewer than 5,000 people have died. While it is widely believed that the initial outbreak in Wuhan in early 2020 was under-reported, life has largely returned to normal since then. "There is still no ability to stop single local cases from appearing, but we have the ability and confidence to quickly extinguish the outbreak when a local case is found," Liang Wannian an official with the National Health Commission told reporters last month. Also read | China shuts supermarkets after virus traces found in dragon fruit from Vietnam What is the cost of 'Zero Covid' and who pays it? Yes, "Zero Covid" comes at a price. There have been almost constant lockdowns near Myanmar's border, and businesses have been forced to flee from these areas. Communities that have been locked down have complained of inadequate food supplies, medical care, and supplies. In the meantime, onerous travel rules and restrictions have left migrants separated from their families for months. In many cases, enforcement has been heavy-handed. One incident that had sparked outrage, had quarantine staff beat a Corgi to death after its owners were quarantined. Even though China is the only major economy to grow in 2020, repeated factory and business closures are contributing to the country's slowdown. Is China ever going to reopen? Ben Cowling, an epidemiologist at Hong Kong University, says that "China certainly has shown it is feasible to continue the zero Covid strategy almost indefinitely." March 2020 marked the country's effective cut-off from the world. Foreigners have practically been forbidden entry. Although restrictions on travel have eased slightly since then, international tourism remains non-existent. The government has said it will not renew Chinese passports until a valid reason for travelling has been provided. The country is unlikely to reopen until after the upcoming Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Beijing, with the government desperately guarding the capital and tightening restrictions ahead of the Games. Watch | Gravitas: Covid-19 in fruit? China shuts supermarkets What about the Chinese who don't agree with this strategy? There has been a nationalistic backlash against those who question "zero Covid." Zhang Wenhong, a noted Chinese medical expert, opined in July that countries must "learn to coexist with the virus", which prompted online attacks from trolls. In the event that China opens up, what will happen? There are conflicting opinions. Researchers at Peking University say China is at risk of suffering a "colossal outbreak" if restrictions are relaxed to the same level as in Europe and the US. Meanwhile, Ivan Hung, a Hong Kong University infectious diseases expert, said second-generation vaccines targeting the Delta and Omicron variants, combined with high vaccination rates, could prevent a disaster. Hung predicts that Covid will be similar to influenza in this scenario. However, allowing the virus in could be risky for Xi Jinping, who is vying for a third term in October after he billed himself as a leader who would keep China safe. "When it does come, the transition may not be easy because Chinese society has gotten quite used to a low level of transmission," says Thomas Hale of the University of Oxford.

Explainer: China's 'zero covid' strategy; what it is, how it functions and does it work?

Faced with its worst COVID-19 outbreak yet, China has been enforcing an expanding number of mass quarantines, strict lockdowns and border controls. The measures may yet work, but official data released Monday show they are exacting a grim toll on the world’s second-largest economy.

China’s economy expanded 4.8% in the first three months of this year compared with the same period last year. That pace was barely faster than the final three months of last year, and it also obscured a looming problem.

Much of that growth was recorded in January and February. Last month, economic activity slowed as Shenzhen, the technology hub in the south, and then Shanghai, the country’s biggest city, and other important industrial centers shut down. The lockdowns suspended assembly lines, grounded workers, trapped truck drivers and snarled ports. They confined hundreds of millions of consumers at home.

The slowdown that started in March is expected to worsen this month, with even more regions placed under restrictions.

For the world, China’s COVID shutdowns could feed inflation by further disrupting the supply chains that many manufacturers rely on, pushing up the cost of making and transporting goods.

Many workers are struggling.

Yu Yao, a truck driver who delivers vegetables and fruits from Shandong province to Shanghai, is one of many Chinese truck drivers stranded because of ever-tightening epidemic control measures. He has been trapped in Shanghai for more than three weeks.

Yu came to Shanghai on March 16 to deliver vegetables to a market. He was still in the city three days later when authorities identified him as a close contact of an infected person in the market. Police ordered him to be immediately quarantined. So he stopped his truck near a highway and began to wait.

He has been waiting ever since. No one has fetched him for quarantine. He lacks a travel permit now required to drive a truck in Shanghai during the lockdown. He and four other drivers without travel permits have slept on the ground and shared bread for three weeks.

“We can’t get off the highway, every exit is guarded. We just want to go home,” Yu said. “I couldn’t get enough food the other day, and my body can’t take it anymore.”

Faced with its worst COVID-19 outbreak yet, China has been enforcing an expanding number of mass quarantines, strict lockdowns and border controls. The measures may yet work, but official data released Monday show they are exacting a grim toll on the world’s second-largest economy.

Faced with its worst COVID-19 outbreak yet, China has been enforcing an expanding number of mass quarantines, strict lockdowns and border controls. The measures may yet work, but official data released Monday show they are exacting a grim toll on the world’s second-largest economy. China’s economy expanded 4.8% in the first three months of this year compared with the same period last year. That pace was barely faster than the final three months of last year, and it also obscured a looming problem. Much of that growth was recorded in January and February. Last month, economic activity slowed as Shenzhen, the technology hub in the south, and then Shanghai, the country’s biggest city, and other important industrial centers shut down. The lockdowns suspended assembly lines, grounded workers, trapped truck drivers and snarled ports. They confined hundreds of millions of consumers at home. The slowdown that started in March is expected to worsen this month, with even more regions placed under restrictions. For the world, China’s COVID shutdowns could feed inflation by further disrupting the supply chains that many manufacturers rely on, pushing up the cost of making and transporting goods. Many workers are struggling. Yu Yao, a truck driver who delivers vegetables and fruits from Shandong province to Shanghai, is one of many Chinese truck drivers stranded because of ever-tightening epidemic control measures. He has been trapped in Shanghai for more than three weeks. Yu came to Shanghai on March 16 to deliver vegetables to a market. He was still in the city three days later when authorities identified him as a close contact of an infected person in the market. Police ordered him to be immediately quarantined. So he stopped his truck near a highway and began to wait. He has been waiting ever since. No one has fetched him for quarantine. He lacks a travel permit now required to drive a truck in Shanghai during the lockdown. He and four other drivers without travel permits have slept on the ground and shared bread for three weeks. “We can’t get off the highway, every exit is guarded. We just want to go home,” Yu said. “I couldn’t get enough food the other day, and my body can’t take it anymore.”

China's economic data hints at cost of zero Covid strategy

Images of pets beaten to death, and stories of the elderly being denied basic medical care are clouding the Chinese internet, even as netizens debate Beijing’s “dynamic zero-Covid” policy.

There is also an electoral buzz in Hong Kong as the current Chief Executive, Carrie Lam, has decided that she won’t seek a second term. Meanwhile, Taiwan is gearing up to welcome US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.&nbsp;Chinese Vignettes&nbsp;brings you all the stories making news in China. &nbsp;

China over the week

Rising COVID-19 Cases

China’s continuous and steady commitment to its zero-Covid policy is reaping no benefits, rather it is hurting its economy. On Sunday, Shanghai reported 24,944 COVID-19 cases, bringing the total in the current wave to more than 179,000.

More than 26 million people have been under lockdown in China’s financial hub Shanghai, as what began as an eight-day lockdown to be observed in two phases, has been extended indefinitely. The citizens are overwhelmed. Under the latest lockdown, Shanghai residents are not permitted to leave their homes for any reason other than to be tested for COVID-19, and are dependent on the officials for food and basic necessities. &nbsp;

While the Chinese authorities are trying their best to limit the blow of the Shanghai lockdown by giving tax rebate and other incentives and exemptions, the residents are feeling the strain. Moreover, the shutdown has also jolted the global financial markets who have already been on edge due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. &nbsp;

This stringent zero-Covid policy is also experiencing pushback from residents who are running out of food. The city officials who are responsible for providing the residents with the basic necessities have also admitted that they are facing “difficulties.”

Public anger is also triggered by other drastic measures such as the separation of children from their parents if they test positive for the virus. The authorities later responded by permitting the parents to accompany their wards. However, according to a&nbsp;Reuters&nbsp;report, there are complaints of children separated from their guardians who tested negative. &nbsp;

Additionally, mandatory quarantining in a government facility even for patients whose condition is mild or asymptomatic have caused angst, especially as the quarantine facilities are crowded and have sub-par conditions. &nbsp;

Chinese President Xi’s zero-Covid policy has also broken down those who once supported it, with some saying that Beijing’s cure is worse than the disease itself.

“In this country, it’s not the virus that scares us, but the chaotic anti-Covid measures that have caused risks to the well-being of the elderly, the children and companion animals. I now realize we can only rely on ourselves -- not the government -- to protect our own families,” said&nbsp;Bloomberg&nbsp;quoting a resident.

While another said that she no longer knows the city, the only thing which comes to her mind is to protect her dogs. This comes as Chinese social media is full of images and videos of authorities beating dogs to death. &nbsp;

Another video of an older man went viral on social media, who was heard saying “Really shame on you. Treat us like animals. In other countries, you can’t even treat a cat or a dog like this. There is no humanity left.” The video was later deleted.

On Monday, the centre sent thousands of medics from across the country including the military to carry out the testing and help the embattled local health workers in Shanghai.

The centre fears that the pushback by residents in China could inspire other cities currently under lockdown to fight these measures.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“There is the risk of a slow-burn discontent if lockdown measures spread across China. And if its virus strategy goes out of control and heavily affects its economy, this will not look good as Xi attempts a third term. At that point, Xi will have no choice but to ramp up his nationalism agenda,” reported&nbsp;Bloomberg&nbsp;quoting Chen Shih-Min, an associate political science professor at National Taiwan University.

Electoral buzz in Hong Kong

While the city of nearly 8 million is still batting Covid, it is also gearing up for elections this May. Earlier this week, Chief Executive of Hong Kong Carrie Lam announced that she will not be seeking a second term. Her current term, which ends on June 30, will conclude her 42-year career in government service. &nbsp;

There was also a buzz on social media after the announcement. Some said it was ‘great news”, others said “let’s celebrate!”. While some also pointed out that "Anyone is better than Carrie Lam because she brings bad luck." &nbsp;

The city’s current No. 2 John Lee Ka-chiu resigned from his post of chief secretary following Lam’s announcement, as he emerged as the ‘only’ contender for the post, as Beijing gave their ‘approval’. On Saturday, he announced his bid to run for the top job. &nbsp;

64-year-old John Lee began his career as a police officer, later he turned to politics, and has served as Secretary for Security, Under Secretary for Security, Deputy Commissioner of Police and Chief Secretary for Administration in the Hong Kong government.

‘He has secured enough nominations to run as the only hopeful in next month’s leadership race with Beijing’s blessing,’ said the&nbsp;South China Morning Post. And ‘he promised a ‘new chapter of “pragmatic” and “result-oriented” leadership’ for Hong Kong.’ And Lee hopes to start “a new chapter for Hong Kong together.”

&nbsp;According to reports, for his leadership campaign, Lee will be aided by an “all-encompassing” team. His 16-member campaign team is led by pro-Beijing heavyweight Tam Yiu-chung. The team consists of people from diverse backgrounds such as policy think tanks, finance, social welfare, education and law, as he tries to win public support.

“We hope to strive for community support for Lee and to raise people’s understanding of his policies by reaching out to the community,” said Tam speaking to the&nbsp;South China Morning Post. “But due to the constraints of the social-distancing rules, we’ll have to study how we can achieve that.”

Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan – a red line?

US house speaker Nancy Pelosi was reportedly due to visit Taiwan as part of her tour to Asia, a first by someone in more than two decades. However, China was not happy not it. &nbsp;

&nbsp;"If the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives knowingly commits a sneaky visit to Taiwan, it will be a malicious provocation to China’s sovereignty, gross interference in its internal affairs and an extremely dangerous political signal to the outside world,” said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Even the Chinese embassy in the United States said, “In the past few days, Chinese Ambassador Qin Gang and the Chinese Embassy in the U.S. have lodged stern representations with the U.S. Congress and government on U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s reported visit to Taiwan, and stated China’s solemn position, urging the U.S. side to abide by the one-China principle and the stipulations in the three Sino-U.S. Joint Communiques, and to cancel Speaker Pelosi’s plan to visit Taiwan.”

However, after testing positive for Covid-19 she had to postpone it, said her deputy communications director in a tweet on Thursday, leaving many to wonder about when her trip is rescheduled.

On this, while wishing a quick recovery for Pelosi, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said that she should "not postpone a visit, but cancel it immediately".

On Friday, Chinese state media trolled Pelosi, state broadcaster&nbsp;CCTV’s social media account started the hashtag “Cure your covid sickness first” that trended China’s Twitter equivalent&nbsp;Weibo.

Taiwan, on the other hand, not only wished her a ‘speedy recovery’ but also thanked the speaker for being a ‘good friend to Taiwan’. Tsai Ing-wen, President of Taiwan, “welcomed the show of U.S. support given Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has raised concern that China may follow through on its oft-repeated threat to take control of the democratic island by force,” reported&nbsp;Bloomberg.

&nbsp;

China in world reportage

Arms race with US &nbsp;

This week, Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States – or the AUKUS, agreed to cooperate on hypersonic weapons and electronic warfare capabilities. &nbsp;

“We … committed today to commence new trilateral cooperation on hypersonics and counter-hypersonics, and electronic warfare capabilities, as well as to expand information sharing and to deepen cooperation on defence innovation,” said the leaders of the 3 countries – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, US President Joe Biden and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, in a joint statement on Tuesday.

Adding that they were delighted with the progress of the ‘programme for the conventionally armed submarines for Australia, and the allies would co-operate in other areas too,’ reported&nbsp;Aljazeera.

“These initiatives will add to our existing efforts to deepen cooperation on cyber capabilities, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, and additional undersea capabilities... As our work progresses on these and other critical defence and security capabilities, we will seek opportunities to engage allies and close partners,” they said

Meanwhile, according to reports, ‘the first U.S. hypersonic weapon has been a setback to more than a year under a new timeline which was to be delivered by Sept. 30. The lawmakers protested the delay, as Pentagon is lagging behind in a new technology that ‘Russia has already used in Ukraine and China has demonstrated in a space launch,’ reported&nbsp;Bloomberg.

Last month, while Russia debuted the missile in its attack on Ukraine, China hit a demonstration target on Earth with a weapon in orbit in July. &nbsp;

According to a&nbsp;Wall Street Journal&nbsp;report, Beijing has "accelerated" its nuclear weapons programme due to threats posed by the US. And according to another report, China has also delivered HQ-22 surface-to-air missile systems to Russian ally Serbia. Early Saturday, six Chinese Air Force Y-20 transport planes landed in Belgrade to deliver the ‘sophisticated Chinese anti-aircraft system.’

UN General Assembly votes to suspend Russia from Human Rights Council

On Thursday, China voted against suspending Russia from the Human Rights Council. The resolution came as, U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said that Russia should be removed from the council, following the reports of mass killings in Bucha, where the Ukrainian officials have accused the Russian troops of committing war crimes.

"Russia's participation on the Human Rights Council is a farce... And it is wrong, which is why we believe it is time the UN General Assembly vote to remove them," she said. &nbsp;

Voting against the resolution, China Ambassador Zhang Jun, at the UN General Assembly said, “China’s basic position on the Ukraine issue is consistent and unequivocal. We always believe that all countries’ sovereignty and territorial integrity should be respected, and that international disputes should be resolved peacefully in accordance with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.”

“Any action by the UN and the relevant parties should give priority to regional peace and stability and the universal security of all parties, and should play a positive role for de-escalation and diplomatic solutions. Regrettably, the draft resolution submitted to this emergency special session for vote has not undergone full consultations within the whole membership. Nor does it take full consideration the history and complexity of the current crisis. It does not highlight the importance of the principle of indivisible security, or the urgency of promoting political settlement and stepping up diplomatic efforts. These are not in line with China’s consistent positions. Therefore, we had no choice but to abstain in the voting,” he added. &nbsp;

(The author is an Assistant Researcher at WION TV) &nbsp;

Images of pets beaten to death, and stories of the elderly being denied basic medical care are clouding the Chinese internet, even as netizens debate Beijing’s “dynamic zero-Covid” policy.

Images of pets beaten to death, and stories of the elderly being denied basic medical care are clouding the Chinese internet, even as netizens debate Beijing’s “dynamic zero-Covid” policy. There is also an electoral buzz in Hong Kong as the current Chief Executive, Carrie Lam, has decided that she won’t seek a second term. Meanwhile, Taiwan is gearing up to welcome US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Chinese Vignettes brings you all the stories making news in China. China over the week Rising COVID-19 Cases China’s continuous and steady commitment to its zero-Covid policy is reaping no benefits, rather it is hurting its economy. On Sunday, Shanghai reported 24,944 COVID-19 cases, bringing the total in the current wave to more than 179,000. More than 26 million people have been under lockdown in China’s financial hub Shanghai, as what began as an eight-day lockdown to be observed in two phases, has been extended indefinitely. The citizens are overwhelmed. Under the latest lockdown, Shanghai residents are not permitted to leave their homes for any reason other than to be tested for COVID-19, and are dependent on the officials for food and basic necessities. While the Chinese authorities are trying their best to limit the blow of the Shanghai lockdown by giving tax rebate and other incentives and exemptions, the residents are feeling the strain. Moreover, the shutdown has also jolted the global financial markets who have already been on edge due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. This stringent zero-Covid policy is also experiencing pushback from residents who are running out of food. The city officials who are responsible for providing the residents with the basic necessities have also admitted that they are facing “difficulties.” Public anger is also triggered by other drastic measures such as the separation of children from their parents if they test positive for the virus. The authorities later responded by permitting the parents to accompany their wards. However, according to a Reuters report, there are complaints of children separated from their guardians who tested negative. Additionally, mandatory quarantining in a government facility even for patients whose condition is mild or asymptomatic have caused angst, especially as the quarantine facilities are crowded and have sub-par conditions. Chinese President Xi’s zero-Covid policy has also broken down those who once supported it, with some saying that Beijing’s cure is worse than the disease itself. “In this country, it’s not the virus that scares us, but the chaotic anti-Covid measures that have caused risks to the well-being of the elderly, the children and companion animals. I now realize we can only rely on ourselves -- not the government -- to protect our own families,” said Bloomberg quoting a resident. While another said that she no longer knows the city, the only thing which comes to her mind is to protect her dogs. This comes as Chinese social media is full of images and videos of authorities beating dogs to death. Another video of an older man went viral on social media, who was heard saying “Really shame on you. Treat us like animals. In other countries, you can’t even treat a cat or a dog like this. There is no humanity left.” The video was later deleted. On Monday, the centre sent thousands of medics from across the country including the military to carry out the testing and help the embattled local health workers in Shanghai. The centre fears that the pushback by residents in China could inspire other cities currently under lockdown to fight these measures. “There is the risk of a slow-burn discontent if lockdown measures spread across China. And if its virus strategy goes out of control and heavily affects its economy, this will not look good as Xi attempts a third term. At that point, Xi will have no choice but to ramp up his nationalism agenda,” reported Bloomberg quoting Chen Shih-Min, an associate political science professor at National Taiwan University. Electoral buzz in Hong Kong While the city of nearly 8 million is still batting Covid, it is also gearing up for elections this May. Earlier this week, Chief Executive of Hong Kong Carrie Lam announced that she will not be seeking a second term. Her current term, which ends on June 30, will conclude her 42-year career in government service. There was also a buzz on social media after the announcement. Some said it was ‘great news”, others said “let’s celebrate!”. While some also pointed out that "Anyone is better than Carrie Lam because she brings bad luck." The city’s current No. 2 John Lee Ka-chiu resigned from his post of chief secretary following Lam’s announcement, as he emerged as the ‘only’ contender for the post, as Beijing gave their ‘approval’. On Saturday, he announced his bid to run for the top job. 64-year-old John Lee began his career as a police officer, later he turned to politics, and has served as Secretary for Security, Under Secretary for Security, Deputy Commissioner of Police and Chief Secretary for Administration in the Hong Kong government. ‘He has secured enough nominations to run as the only hopeful in next month’s leadership race with Beijing’s blessing,’ said the South China Morning Post. And ‘he promised a ‘new chapter of “pragmatic” and “result-oriented” leadership’ for Hong Kong.’ And Lee hopes to start “a new chapter for Hong Kong together.” According to reports, for his leadership campaign, Lee will be aided by an “all-encompassing” team. His 16-member campaign team is led by pro-Beijing heavyweight Tam Yiu-chung. The team consists of people from diverse backgrounds such as policy think tanks, finance, social welfare, education and law, as he tries to win public support. “We hope to strive for community support for Lee and to raise people’s understanding of his policies by reaching out to the community,” said Tam speaking to the South China Morning Post. “But due to the constraints of the social-distancing rules, we’ll have to study how we can achieve that.” Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan – a red line? US house speaker Nancy Pelosi was reportedly due to visit Taiwan as part of her tour to Asia, a first by someone in more than two decades. However, China was not happy not it. "If the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives knowingly commits a sneaky visit to Taiwan, it will be a malicious provocation to China’s sovereignty, gross interference in its internal affairs and an extremely dangerous political signal to the outside world,” said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Even the Chinese embassy in the United States said, “In the past few days, Chinese Ambassador Qin Gang and the Chinese Embassy in the U.S. have lodged stern representations with the U.S. Congress and government on U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s reported visit to Taiwan, and stated China’s solemn position, urging the U.S. side to abide by the one-China principle and the stipulations in the three Sino-U.S. Joint Communiques, and to cancel Speaker Pelosi’s plan to visit Taiwan.” However, after testing positive for Covid-19 she had to postpone it, said her deputy communications director in a tweet on Thursday, leaving many to wonder about when her trip is rescheduled. On this, while wishing a quick recovery for Pelosi, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said that she should "not postpone a visit, but cancel it immediately". On Friday, Chinese state media trolled Pelosi, state broadcaster CCTV’s social media account started the hashtag “Cure your covid sickness first” that trended China’s Twitter equivalent Weibo. Taiwan, on the other hand, not only wished her a ‘speedy recovery’ but also thanked the speaker for being a ‘good friend to Taiwan’. Tsai Ing-wen, President of Taiwan, “welcomed the show of U.S. support given Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has raised concern that China may follow through on its oft-repeated threat to take control of the democratic island by force,” reported Bloomberg. China in world reportage Arms race with US This week, Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States – or the AUKUS, agreed to cooperate on hypersonic weapons and electronic warfare capabilities. “We … committed today to commence new trilateral cooperation on hypersonics and counter-hypersonics, and electronic warfare capabilities, as well as to expand information sharing and to deepen cooperation on defence innovation,” said the leaders of the 3 countries – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, US President Joe Biden and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, in a joint statement on Tuesday. Adding that they were delighted with the progress of the ‘programme for the conventionally armed submarines for Australia, and the allies would co-operate in other areas too,’ reported Aljazeera. “These initiatives will add to our existing efforts to deepen cooperation on cyber capabilities, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, and additional undersea capabilities... As our work progresses on these and other critical defence and security capabilities, we will seek opportunities to engage allies and close partners,” they said Meanwhile, according to reports, ‘the first U.S. hypersonic weapon has been a setback to more than a year under a new timeline which was to be delivered by Sept. 30. The lawmakers protested the delay, as Pentagon is lagging behind in a new technology that ‘Russia has already used in Ukraine and China has demonstrated in a space launch,’ reported Bloomberg. Last month, while Russia debuted the missile in its attack on Ukraine, China hit a demonstration target on Earth with a weapon in orbit in July. According to a Wall Street Journal report, Beijing has "accelerated" its nuclear weapons programme due to threats posed by the US. And according to another report, China has also delivered HQ-22 surface-to-air missile systems to Russian ally Serbia. Early Saturday, six Chinese Air Force Y-20 transport planes landed in Belgrade to deliver the ‘sophisticated Chinese anti-aircraft system.’ UN General Assembly votes to suspend Russia from Human Rights Council On Thursday, China voted against suspending Russia from the Human Rights Council. The resolution came as, U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said that Russia should be removed from the council, following the reports of mass killings in Bucha, where the Ukrainian officials have accused the Russian troops of committing war crimes. "Russia's participation on the Human Rights Council is a farce... And it is wrong, which is why we believe it is time the UN General Assembly vote to remove them," she said. Voting against the resolution, China Ambassador Zhang Jun, at the UN General Assembly said, “China’s basic position on the Ukraine issue is consistent and unequivocal. We always believe that all countries’ sovereignty and territorial integrity should be respected, and that international disputes should be resolved peacefully in accordance with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.” “Any action by the UN and the relevant parties should give priority to regional peace and stability and the universal security of all parties, and should play a positive role for de-escalation and diplomatic solutions. Regrettably, the draft resolution submitted to this emergency special session for vote has not undergone full consultations within the whole membership. Nor does it take full consideration the history and complexity of the current crisis. It does not highlight the importance of the principle of indivisible security, or the urgency of promoting political settlement and stepping up diplomatic efforts. These are not in line with China’s consistent positions. Therefore, we had no choice but to abstain in the voting,” he added. (The author is an Assistant Researcher at WION TV)

Chinese vignettes | Beijing’s unwavering commitment to its zero-Covid policy is only hurting China

The Chinese mainland reported 402 locally transmitted COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, nearly double of the cases recorded a day earlier, official data showed on Thursday.

According to the National Health Commission report, among the new local infections, northwestern Jilin province reported 165 cases, its highly daily count since China contained its first national outbreak in 2020.

A total of 126 imported COVID-19 cases were reported Wednesday, said the commission.

Ten new suspected cases, all arriving from outside the mainland, were reported in Shanghai, said the commission. No deaths from COVID-19 were reported on the day.

Even though the number of active cases reported is low compared to global standards, China has been sticking with its “dynamic zero-Covid strategy”, which involves using mass testing and tracing, border controls and snap lockdowns to contain the virus.

In Jilin, which is battling a fresh outbreak after a sub-strain of Omicron was found, business operations in its urban areas have been closed for a week with exceptions being made for those responsible for providing essential services and businesses requiring continuous production.

People are being allowed out of their homes from Mar&nbsp;7 to Mar 13, except for matters such as seeking medical services or going for urgent work, according to the city government.

As of March 9, China had reported 112,385 cases with confirmed symptoms, including local ones and those arriving from outside the mainland.

A total of 586 asymptomatic cases were reported Wednesday, including 151 arriving from outside the mainland, according to the commission.

A total of 4,636 patients had died of the virus on the mainland since the outbreak of the disease

(With inputs from agencies)

The Chinese mainland reported 402 locally transmitted COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, nearly double of the cases recorded a day earlier, official data showed on Thursday.

The Chinese mainland reported 402 locally transmitted COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, nearly double of the cases recorded a day earlier, official data showed on Thursday. According to the National Health Commission report, among the new local infections, northwestern Jilin province reported 165 cases, its highly daily count since China contained its first national outbreak in 2020. A total of 126 imported COVID-19 cases were reported Wednesday, said the commission. Ten new suspected cases, all arriving from outside the mainland, were reported in Shanghai, said the commission. No deaths from COVID-19 were reported on the day. Even though the number of active cases reported is low compared to global standards, China has been sticking with its “dynamic zero-Covid strategy”, which involves using mass testing and tracing, border controls and snap lockdowns to contain the virus. In Jilin, which is battling a fresh outbreak after a sub-strain of Omicron was found, business operations in its urban areas have been closed for a week with exceptions being made for those responsible for providing essential services and businesses requiring continuous production. People are being allowed out of their homes from Mar 7 to Mar 13, except for matters such as seeking medical services or going for urgent work, according to the city government. As of March 9, China had reported 112,385 cases with confirmed symptoms, including local ones and those arriving from outside the mainland. A total of 586 asymptomatic cases were reported Wednesday, including 151 arriving from outside the mainland, according to the commission. A total of 4,636 patients had died of the virus on the mainland since the outbreak of the disease (With inputs from agencies)

China reports 402 local Covid cases, nearly double than a day earlier

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