China’s exit from zero-tolerance policy set to be slow and bumpy

Experts say curbs likely to stay till early 2023; annual Golden Week holiday starts slowly

- Elizabeth Law

The traditional annual shopping and travel spree that is China’s National Day Golden Week holiday got off to a slow start on Saturday amid more Covid-19 measures across the country.

In the lead-up to the seven-day holiday, the authorities urged people to spend the holiday in their home cities, in a bid to avoid superspreader events seen during the summer in tourist destination Hainan and megacity Chongqing. Those had led to lengthy lockdowns whose ripple effects were felt across the country.

New rules also require a negative Covid-19 test result within 48 hours before travel by plane, train or cross-provincial border bus.

But towards the end of the week, the National Health Commission also warned local governments against onerous “one-size-fits-all” measures that could result in massive disruption to daily life.

However, much like the autumnal smog that has descended upon Beijing, these control measures, while not quite as crippling as a full-on lockdown, are enough to cause a drag on what is usually peak season for domestic spending and consumption.

While new infections have been sporadic, local governments are erring on the side of caution ahead of a big political meeting set to convene on Oct 16 in Beijing.

This delicate balance between managing Covid-19 policies and bolstering the economy is likely to continue till spring, after the leadership transition is completed next March, said experts who spoke to The Sunday Times.