Covid outbreak in Guangzhou reaches level that pushed Shanghai into lockdown

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After rumors that it would be working on a possible reopening plan, China reinforced that it will continue with the Covid zero policy.

The change in tone seems to have been motivated by the rapid growth in the number of daily cases of the disease in Guangzhou, a city in the south of the country that accounts for much of the national industrial park.

According to the South China Morning Post, Guangzhou has been registering about 4,000 cases (between symptomatic and asymptomatic) of Covid daily, similar to the average that led to the closure of Shanghai for more than two months. Most of them are concentrated in the district of Haizhu, where 1.8 million people are already in lockdown. The public transport system is also not working there.

Infected by the coronavirus were also identified in the capital Beijing and in Chongqing, a megalopolis located in the southwest of the country.

Meanwhile, Xi Jinping chaired a meeting of the Politburo Standing Committee in which he once again advocated “firmly implement the dynamic Covid zero policy, protect people’s lives to the fullest and minimize the impact on economic and social development.” The Committee also expressed concern about new mutations of the virus and the impact of winter on local transmission.

why it matters: This is yet another cold shower for those waiting for the reopening of Chinese borders. The outbreak in Guangzhou certainly worries the government and sends a warning signal to the world, given the amount of goods exported by industries based there. A lockdown like the one in Shanghai would further knock down Chinese macroeconomic indicators, with severe repercussions on production chains across the planet.

what also matters

China has shown willingness to contribute with a mechanism that compensates poor countries for losses and damages caused by the climate crisis. Beijing, however, has no intention of making financial transfers.

The intention was announced by the Chinese representative at COP27, Xie Zhenhua. In conversations with the press, he said that China is “in solidarity” with those who are calling for more action from developed nations and highlighted that the Asian country has also suffered from environmental disasters caused by climate change.

“It is not China’s obligation, but we are willing to make our contribution and make our effort,” he said, without announcing what kind of support will be offered.

On Tuesday (8), the negotiating bloc of the Association of Small Island States – formed by countries whose existence is threatened by the increase in the earth’s temperature – defended that China and India should finance a possible compensation fund.

Antigua and Barbuda’s premier and leader of the bloc, Gaston Browne, told the press that “we all know that they are big polluters, and polluters must pay.” “I don’t think there is a free pass to any country and I don’t say that harshly.”

Xi Jinping has drawn a red line in the diplomatic support he has given Russia since the invasion of Ukraine. During German Prime Minister Olaf Scholz’s visit to Beijing, the Chinese leader was blunt: China will not tolerate the use of nuclear weapons in the conflict.

It was China’s clearest stance on the war to date. In Xi’s words, “the international community must jointly oppose the use or threats of use of nuclear weapons, advocate that nuclear weapons should not be used and that nuclear wars should not be fought, in order to avoid a nuclear crisis in Eurasia.” “, as quoted by the official Xinhua news agency.

Although Xi spoke out for the first time on the subject, Beijing was already showing signs that it would not tolerate the Russian movement. China maintains a declared policy of using only defensive nuclear weapons and, in the past, has already signaled abandoning North Korea to its fate if the neighboring country uses nuclear missiles to attack the South or the United States.

keep an eye

Bao Tong, a former adviser to deposed Chinese leader Zhao Ziyang, died on Thursday. Bao is famous for supporting protesters in what became known as the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989.

A former director of the Office of Political Reform of the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee, Bao was arrested and served seven years for “revealing state secrets and counter-revolutionary propaganda.” His boss, then general secretary of the Chinese CP, was under house arrest for the rest of his life.

why it matters: Bao was a well-known supporter of free speech in China. His death holds considerable symbolism for those still championing the cause in the country, although those movements have all but disappeared under the heavy surveillance and repression under Xi’s government. In this sense, it is not surprising that his death has almost gone unnoticed in the country, with no mention either in the networks or in the state press.

to go deep

  • The National Committee for Relations between the United States and China will hold next Wednesday (16), at 5 pm, the traditional China Townhall, an event that discusses the state of diplomacy between the two countries. This year’s guest is Jon Huntsman Jr., former US Ambassador to China, Russia and Singapore. Information here. (free, in English)
  • Vice President-elect Geraldo Alckmin participated this week in an event promoted by the Brazil-China Business Council in São Paulo and declared his intention to strengthen Sino-Brazilian relations. Alckmin also hinted at possible intentions of the Lula government on the subject. Read here. (free, in Portuguese)

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