The Standing Committee was named last month by a party congress that also expanded Xi's political dominance by appointing him to a third five-year term as leader. Economists expect annual growth to be as low as 3%, less than half of last year's 8.1%. In addition, it said testing found 7,691 people to be infected without showing symptoms.įorecasters say Chinese economic growth is weakening again after rebounding to 3.9% over a year earlier in the three months ending in September, up from 2.2% in the first half. On Thursday, the National Health Commission reported 1,133 new cases had been found in the previous 24 hours, including 500 in the southern business center of Guangzhou, the latest hot spot. Videos circulated on social media show people in some areas protesting or fighting with police and health workers. The closure of Shanghai and other industrial centers starting in March sent shockwaves through global trade.įollowing a new upsurge in cases, a growing number of areas are shutting down businesses and imposing curbs on movement. "Zero COVID" has kept China's infection rate relatively low but weighs on the economy and has disrupted life by shutting schools, factories and shops or sealing neighborhoods without warning. "We will protect people's lives and health to the greatest extent and minimize the impact of the epidemic on economic and social development," the party leaders said in a statement. COVID-19 Brief newsletter: Sign up for an informed guide on the pandemic.The party promised to release "stranded people" who have been in quarantine or blocked for weeks from leaving cities where there are cases. It said 20 changes including in quarantine, testing and treatment were approved but gave no details. The ruling Communist Party's seven-member Standing Committee said it will "unswervingly adhere" to "zero COVID" but promised to make it less disruptive. The government has given no indication when it might ease controls that have shut down Shanghai and other major cities for weeks at a time to find and isolate every infected person. President Xi Jinping's government is enforcing some of the world's most extreme anti-virus restrictions despite rising costs while other countries ease travel and other curbs. Chinese leaders promised Thursday to improve quarantine and other anti-virus policies after public frustration boiled over into protests but said they will stick to a severe "zero COVID" strategy that has confined millions of people to their homes and disrupted the economy.
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