China signals zero-COVID relaxation

— China’s top COVID official has signaled a possible relaxing of the country’s strict zero-tolerance approach to the virus, after nationwide protests calling for an end to lockdowns and greater political freedom.

Anger over China’s zero-COVID policy — which involves mass lockdowns, constant testing and quarantines even for people who are not infected — has sparked protests in major cities including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

But while authorities have called for a “crackdown” in the wake of the demonstrations, they have also begun hinting that a relaxation of the hardline virus strategy could be in the works.

Speaking at the National Health Commission Wednesday, Vice Premier Sun Chunlan said the Omicron variant was weakening and vaccination rates were improving, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency.

Sun — a central figure behind Beijing’s pandemic response — said this “new situation” required “new tasks.”

She made no mention of the zeroCOVID policy in her latest remarks, suggesting an approach that has disrupted the economy and daily life might soon be relaxed.

The comments came as the southern manufacturing-hub Guangzhou — the site of dramatic Tuesday night clashes between police and protesters — said it had partially lifted a weekslong lockdown, despite seeing record virus cases.

Officials on Wednesday eased restrictions to varying degrees in all of the city’s 11 districts, including Haizhu, where recent protests took place.

With the exception of a number of designated “high-risk” neighborhoods, the Guangzhou health commission said, “the rest will be managed as low-risk areas.”

The central city of Chongqing also said Wednesday close contacts of Covid cases who met certain conditions would be allowed to quarantine at home — a departure from rules that required them to be sent to central isolation facilities.

Sun’s remarks — as well as relaxations of rules by local authorities — “could signal that China is beginning to consider the end of its stringent zero-COVID policy,” analysts said.

“We believe that Chinese authorities are shifting to a ‘living with Covid’ stance, as reflected in new rules that allow people to do ‘home isolation’ instead of being ferried away to quarantine facilities,” ANZ Research analysts said in a note.