- Xi Jinping in trouble over zero-Covid
- Slovenia facing a change of course in China policy
- Sinolytics.Radar: ports in lockdown distress
- Beijing city to promote bus and train
- Car sales slump because of Covid
- BYD criticized for foul gas
- Small investors invest in climate funds
- Profile: Daniel Roetting – from culture to luxury
- Executive Moves: Huawei’s car unit loses executives
Xi Jinping faces a dilemma. The People’s Republic struggles with the Omicron wave, and Xi’s course is: zero-Covid. But the weeks-long lockdowns jeopardize economic growth. International companies have already announced plans to withdraw investments. And resentment among the people is rising. There have even been street protests in some areas. Xi, however, cannot back down, analyzes Michael Radunski. By now, he is so closely tied to the zero-Covid policy that he will lose face should he change his strategy.
In many Western democracies, holding on to such a controversial strategy would be political suicide. But not so in China. Instead, lower cadres are blamed for the Covid mess. Xi Jinping, on the other hand, seems untouchable. This puts Western companies deeper and deeper into a predicament: Given the long-term market potential, they want to hold out, but the situation is often becoming personally unbearable.
Slovenia has pestered China over the past few months. Under Prime Minister Janez Janša, the EU state had moved closer to Taiwan, at least verbally. Naturally, this left Beijing angered. But the shift away from China could soon come to an end, analyzes Amelie Richter. Janša was voted out of office. His successor, Robert Golob, is likely to pursue a more China-friendly course – especially in economic policy.
Nico Beckert
Feature
Caught in the zero-Covid Strategy
Beijing still holds its ground, China’s capital may still prevent a Covid lockdown (China.Table reported). And President Xi Jinping still maintains his strict zero-Covid policy. But behind each of these points lies the unspoken question: for how much longer? The number of new Covid infections continues to rise daily, after all. At the beginning of the week, the district of Shunyi experienced a fresh outbreak. Beijingers can expect more mass testing and tighter restrictions. With zero-covid, a lockdown in China’s capital seems almost inevitable.
Still, Xi Jinping leaves no doubt about his strategy. During a recent inspection trip to Hainan, he made it clear that China would not back down an inch: “China must not relax COVID control and prevention measures.” It is the strategy for which China was highly praised by the World Health Organization (WHO) almost exactly two years ago: China’s bold approach had turned the tide, it was said at the time.
In any case, Xi knew how to use the WHO’s praise to his advantage. He made it clear to the world that the success against Covid reflected the superiority of the Chinese system over the United States and other Western democracies. While corpses piled up in Bergamo and mask mandates were discussed in Berlin, Paris or Washington, China managed to bring the Covid surge under control.
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