IN FOCUS
By Avishka Ashok

China’s ‘Zero COVID’ policy against effectively preventing the spread of the coronavirus

On 9 January, the Tianjin municipality in North China started large-scale nucleic acid test after the city detected 20 new cases of the coronavirus. Although mass testing an entire city after merely detecting 20 cases may seem extravagant, China is known for its extreme covid prevention measures right from the first wave of the pandemic. These measures have proved to be effective in preventing further outbreaks within the country and helped China avoid months-long lockdown that slowed the global economy.

China’s zero-COVID strategy has a five-pronged approach.
First, early action and mass testing.
After the first few cases of the virus were confirmed in Tianjin city, the entire population of over 13 million people were mass tested within 24 hours. As of 8 January, 75,680 people who were suspected to have contracted the virus had been quarantined in the city to prevent the further spread of the virus. Other than Tianjin, people in Beijing and other cities who visited the city since 23 December were asked to take a test. A similar strategy was undertaken in Chongqing city in November 2021 after one person tested positive. A city of 20 million was put on alert, 1,25,000 were mass tested in 24 hours while offices and public spaces were labeled “high risk zones” and were temporarily closed.

Second, implementing strict lockdowns.
As soon as a case is discovered in a city, the citizens are advised to remain home and restrict travel to emergencies. In Xi’an, public transport was restricted from running as usual when the city had less than 20 active cases of the virus. In Tianjin, the authorities canceled close to 144 flights over the weekend. China takes the lockdowns seriously and believes in stopping the further spread of the virus by not only limiting the people’s movement from one city to another but also within the city.

Third, using technology and data monitoring to ensure public safety.
All cities in the country use an application to keep a track of the citizen’s travel history and their health status. The application assigns a colour code based on the individual’s travel history, health conditions and vaccination status. Only those individuals with a green code are allowed to travel within the city and make use of public transport. The code turns yellow if the individual has been in contact with an infected person and is therefore restricted from travel and public spaces like subways, buses, libraries and hotels.

Fourth, community-centered precautions.
Other than the safety measures imposed by the authorities, individuals in Chinese cities must also adhere to certain community-based norms that have been established to control irresponsible behavior. Individuals are required to take permission from employers and the community as well before traveling outside the city. During a medical emergency, only one member of a family is allowed to go out to buy essentials once in two days. For those in quarantine, essentials are delivered at home.

Fifth, an active vaccination drive
The health experts and authorities in China are actively working towards achieving herd immunity. According to the top health advisors in China, herd immunity can be achieved when 80-85 percent of the population is vaccinated. At present, 79 percent of the population has been completely inoculated.

References:
“Tianjin fights China’s first real battle against Omicron, puts Beijing on high alert,” Global Times, 9 January 2022
“China Reports Nation’s First Community Spread of Omicron,” Bloomberg, 9 January 2022
“Health Code: What and how? ,” China Daily, 10 April 2020
“Community transmission mostly curbed with strict control in Xi'an: local authority,” Global Times, 4 January 2022
“China’s Zero COVID policy proves that the elimination of COVID-19 is possible,” World Socialist Web Site, 13 December 2021
“Zero Covid: How China is keeping to its strict 'zero Covid' strategy,” The Economic Times, 7 January 2022

IN BRIEF
By Dincy Adlakha and Keerthana Nambiar

INTERNAL
China appoints new garrison commander in Hong Kong
On 9 January, state broadcaster CCTV reported that China appointed a new commander for the People’s Liberation Army garrison in Hong Kong. The new commander chief, Mr Peng Jingtang, was previously the deputy chief of staff of China’s paramilitary police force known as the People's Armed Police. He was also the chief of staff of the Armed Police Force in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.  Mr Peng holds the rank of major general. He was appointed by a signed order from President Xi Jinping. Although Hong Kong maintains a garrison of the People’s Liberation Army, the defense and actions are majorly controlled by Beijing as laid out in the Basic Law of the constitution. (“China appoints former paramilitary chief as new Hong Kong garrison commander,” The Straits Times, 10 January 2022)

Important lake in North China sees water quality improvement
On 10 January, Xinhua reported that the water quality of lake Baiyangdian, which is the biggest freshwater lake in north China, improved significantly in 2021. The news was announced by the Ecology and Environment Department of Hebei Province. Out of the five levels of water quality, the water from Baiyangdian lake was increased from level IV to level III. The department noted that this is the first time that the quality has risen to this level since 1988 when the monitoring first started. The lake was completely dry from 1983 to 1987 and was brought back to life in 1988. Previously, the water quality of the lake had also reached level V due to chemical oxygen and phosphorus. Ecological restoration of Baiyangdian lake is on the rise due to the establishment of Xiong’an New Area in Hebei Province. (“Water quality of major lake in north China improves in 2021,” Xinhua Net, 10 January 2022)

Xi’an city records 2,004 cases of the coronavirus since December 2021
On 9 January, Xi’an city in the Shaanxi province recorded 2,004 new cases of the coronavirus in one month. The city has now become the centre of the newest outbreak with the largest number of confirmed cases since the Wuhan outbreak. An epidemiologist from the Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism of the State Council said: “Epidemic in Xi'an is the largest domestically-transmitted epidemic since Wuhan outbreak, with the largest number of cases and the largest scale for a megacity." Global Times observed that the number of cases being reported in a day are slowly decreasing in January, showcasing an efficient control of the virus by the government. (“COVID-19 cases in Xi’an surpass 2,000, largest domestically-transmitted epidemic since Wuhan outbreak,” Global Times, 10 January 2022)

INTERNATIONAL
China proposes to expand East African rail and port network
On 10 January, South China Morning Post reported that China has proposed a grand infrastructure plan for the Horn of Africa. The proposal largely circles around expanding Kenya’s Mombasa-Nairobi rail link to the Uganda border and also the Addis Ababa-Djibouti link stretching to five other countries including Rwanda, Uganda, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo and Eritrea. Additionally, the proposal also involves developing ports on the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean under the framework “two axes plus two coasts.” Foreign Minister Wang Yi said: “This is part of our effort to help this part of the region to accelerate the building of industrial belts and economic belts to create more jobs.” The dates for these projects are yet to be fixed. (Jevans Nyabiage, “China hopes to expand East African rail network and develop ports,” South China Morning Post, 10 January 2022)

China urges Sri Lanka to restart dialogue on Free Trade Agreement
On 9 January, Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a meeting with Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and urged both the countries to actively work towards the free trade agreement by using the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. Wang Yi encouraged Sri Lanka and China to make use of the Colombo Port City and Hambantota Port projects to propel the bilateral relations. Wang Yi promised Chinese support and said: “China is ready to offer vaccines and medical supplies to Sri Lanka and work together on effective medicines. Chinese enterprises will be encouraged to invest in Sri Lanka.” President Gotabaya also expressed Sri Lanka’s willingness in working with China in the field of economy, trade, tourism and infrastructure. (“China, Sri Lanka to restart FTA talks using RCEP and double engines of Colombo Port City and Hambantota Port projects: Chinese FM,” Global Times, 10 January 2022)

Chinese analysts await visit be GGC countries, encourage FTA
On 9 January, Global Times reported that the upcoming meeting between Gulf Cooperation Countries and China could act as a catalyst in arriving at a decision on the Free Trade Agreement. The Foreign Ministers of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain will be visiting China between 10 and 14 January. The visit by the foreign leaders is being attached with great importance within China. The Director of the China Institute for Aran Studies at Ningxia University said: “The visit is vitally important, and it may result in positive results for a China-GCC FTA, after negotiations started in 2004, but with little success of note so far.” (Yang Sheng and Zhang Changyue, “Unprecedented GCC group visit may greatly enhance FTA negotiation progress: analysts,” Global Times, 9 January 2022)