In an op-ed originally published in Caixin, Tom Simpson writes that as foreign businesses operating in China conclude their damage assessment of the annus horribilis that was 2022 and reset expectations following the sudden scrapping of zero covid, the mood is shifting toward cautious optimism There is widespread relief at the prospect of a more predictable operating environment and the resumption of connectivity with the rest of the world since …
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Coronavirus
China’s scrapping of zero covid and reopening to the world is widely regarded as the most important economic story playing out in 2023. And so far, it is living up to expectations, writes Tom Simpson With restrictions removed, wave one saw covid spread at an unprecedented speed and scale, with 80% of the population estimated to have been infected with the virus. China’s healthcare system was pushed to new limits …
In December 2022, after nearly three years, zero covid appears to have been confined to memory, with China entering the early stages of a new “coexisting with covid” strategy, writes Tom Simpson, CBBC’s Managing Director of China Operations and Chief China Representative Why the sudden change? The 180-policy reversal seems to have been prompted by three main factors: a major outbreak in Beijing, growing frustration at zero covid (and hard …
China’s latest Covid policies have loosened the restrictions for travel between the UK and China somewhat, but travellers should be aware of changing Covid restrictions on the ground On 11 November, the China National Health Commission released a list of 20 adjustments to the country’s Covid-19 prevention and control policies. The adjustments relate to both the domestic-level implementation of Covid policies and international travel, including shortening the length of hotel …
The zero Covid strategy is here to stay and companies are going to have to adapt to manage its unpredictability if they want to stay ahead in the market – but what is China’s end game? And what impact is it likely to have on real people as the policy drags on, ask CBBC’s policy team, Joe Cash and Torsten Weller. “Our prevention and control strategy is determined by the …
China’s harsh Zero Covid policy is putting huge pressure on the Chinese economy, with April’s data indicating a sharp downturn. The government wants to increase infrastructure spending and do more to help SMEs while also keeping employment stable, according to CBBC’s policy team, Torsten Weller and Joe Cash – so how likely are they to pull that off? Worries about the Chinese economy are mounting. Despite respectable growth of 4.8% …
Two years into the Covid-19 pandemic, how are China’s Covid-19 control measures affecting British businesses in China? If the zero-Covid approach remains in place, how will it affect operations, revenue and hiring for British businesses? A new survey published by the British Chambers of Commerce in China finds out Over the past two years, China has developed and managed effective Covid-19 control measures. Rapid lockdowns, quarantines, mass testing and travel …
Disruption created by Covid-19 lockdowns and port closures has brought the global shipping business to its knees, so Joe Cash asks: when shipping between the UK and China will recover? The cost of shipping between the UK and China continues to test the resilience of companies of all sizes, be they from Liaocheng or Liverpool. Shipping containers remain in short supply. As a result, the cost of securing passage on …
The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, 22 June that China could keep its current international travel restrictions in place for at least another year until mid to late-2022 According to a source familiar with the matter, this timeline was set during a meeting in May amid concerns that highly contagious variants from abroad may disrupt key events like the Winter Olympics in February 2022. Government bodies did not make …
IN THIS SERIES, WE LOOK AT CHINA-BASED ENTREPRENEURS, THE BUSINESSES THEY HAVE DEVELOPED AND HOW THEY HAVE COPED WITH RECENT OBSTACLES CREATED BY THE PANDEMIC. THIS WEEK, AJ DONNELLY OF CULTURAL KEYS Since I was young I have always loved traditional Chinese culture, which I learned about from studying Chinese martial arts from a young age. For as long as I could remember, I had wanted to move to China, …