China imposes lockdown on millions in areas around capital

BEIJING • Millions of people in areas surrounding China's capital were yesterday ordered into lockdown, with the authorities intensifying efforts to contain the coronavirus ahead of a key Communist Party of China (CPC) meeting in October.

Nearly four million people in Hebei province, which surrounds Beijing, were ordered to stay home until the end of the week as officials rush to curb a small virus flare-up.

And more than 13 million in the neighbouring port city of Tianjin must undergo mass testing, after 51 mostly mild cases were reported.

China is the only major global economy sticking to a zero-Covid-19 policy, and lockdowns, travel restrictions and mass testing have disrupted businesses.

Beijing has doubled down on the policy ahead of the CPC's 20th Party Congress, which will begin on Oct 16.

The handling of the pandemic is widely seen as central to the political legacy of Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is set to be anointed for an unprecedented third term in office at the meeting.

But "the actual Covid-19 situation in China might be worsening, as Omicron has once again spread to large cities", Nomura analyst Ting Lu warned in a research note.

Chengdu, western China's largest city, closed major public venues, postponed school reopening, and imposed strict travel restrictions.

In the north-east, the port city of Dalian in Liaoning province is limiting movement in a handful of downtown districts for five days, with buses, subways and in-person classes halted after 15 local cases were reported for Sunday.

And in the southern technology hub of Shenzhen in Guangdong province, at least six neighbourhoods in two major districts are under partial lockdown, while the world's biggest electronics market in Huaqiangbei has closed - despite just 35 daily cases being reported in the city of over 18 million.

In Futian, where the city government is located, cinemas, karaoke bars and parks are closed until Friday and large public events have been cancelled.

Officials also sealed off Wanxia neighbourhood on the city's outskirts, which offers affordable housing for delivery drivers and migrant workers, although no cases were reported there.

Nationwide, China is battling Covid-19 in every province despite its use of the world's strictest measures to keep the virus out.

All 31 mainland provinces recorded at least one local Covid-19 case over the past 10 days, reflecting the broadest exposure to the virus since at least February last year, when the authorities began disclosing detailed records on where asymptomatic cases were occurring daily.

In the past 10 days, the western autonomous region of Tibet and the southern tropical island of Hainan reported the most infections, while north-eastern Jilin had the fewest with just one case.

There were 1,717 new local infections reported for Monday, down from more than 3,000 less than two weeks ago.

But the widening spread of the coronavirus across the nation creates challenges for local leaders, since snap lockdowns and strict mitigation measures are often used to contain small flare-ups.

"(Financial) markets could once again be hit in the next couple of weeks," if the cities step up their containment measures, Nomura's Mr Ting said.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, BLOOMBERG