Nation reinforces stringent approach
China’s top leaders warned against questioning Xi Jinping’s COVID Zero strategy, as pressure builds to relax virus curbs and protect the economic growth that has long been a source of Communist Party strength.
The Politburo’s supreme Standing Committee pledged during a meeting led by Xi to “fight against any speech that distorts, questions or rejects our country’s COVID-control policy,” state broadcaster China Central Television said. The body reaffirmed its support for the lockdown-dependent approach, saying China had made progress toward overcoming its worst outbreak since the first wave in Wuhan two years ago.
China is facing sustained criticism and public discontent over its lockdowns. The outbreaks are forcing the party to choose between the economic growth that has provided a source of legitimacy for more than four decades and Xi’s efforts to show China’s model is superior to Western democracy. Xi can afford little internal dissent as he prepares for a twice-a-decade leadership reshuffle this year, when he’s expected to secure a precedent-breaking third term.
Senior health officials made similar remarks about the COVID Zero strategy last week. They said it gives China time to boost vaccination rates among the elderly and other vulnerable groups, increase hospital capacity and develop and produce more antivirals before declaring victory over COVID-19.
China has a large elderly population with insufficient overall medical resources, the Politburo Standing Committee said. Relaxing COVID-19 controls would lead to large-scale infections and a surge in serious cases and deaths, damaging the economy and people’s health, it said.