Major Chinese cities have started to lift COVID lockdowns and ease restrictions following widespread protests over stringent zero-COVID policies. Less than 24 hours after violent protests in Guangzhou, officials in at least seven districts of the sprawling port city north of Hong Kong announced they were lifting lockdowns. One district on Wednesday said it would allow in-person classes in schools to resume and would reopen restaurants and other businesses including cinemas. Authorities in the southwestern city of Chongqing said they would now allow close contacts of people with COVID-19, who meet certain conditions, to quarantine at home. The "orderly" resumption of businesses, including supermarkets, gyms and restaurants was announced in Zhengzhou in central China, where there have been clashes at a huge Foxconn factory making iPhones, and an exodus of … 阅读全文

Crowds in a major Chinese city have clashed with white hazmat-suited riot police, footage on social media shows, as the biggest anti-government protests in decades continue over stringent zero-COVID policies. The clashes took place in Guangzhou on Tuesday night, according to posts online. In one video posted on Twitter, objects can be seen flying at dozens of riot police in all-white pandemic gear, holding shields over their heads, as they advance in formation over what appears to be torn-down lockdown barriers. Police are later seen escorting a group of people in handcuffs to an unknown location. Another clip shows people throwing objects at the police, while a third shows a tear gas canister landing in the middle of a small crowd on a narrow street, with people running to escape … 阅读全文

China has intensified its COVID restrictions and lockdowns as its daily infection figures climbed to a record high. On Wednesday it recorded 31,444 new COVID-19 cases - exceeding the previous peak in April when Shanghai was in a city-wide lockdown that would last two months. It is also the highest daily figure since the virus was first detected in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019. The fresh crackdown comes as its zero-COVID policy continues to spark protests - including in the central Chinese city of Zhengzhou, where there have been clashes at a huge Foxconn factory making iPhones. Not even a pledge of a big increase in bonuses has stemmed an exodus of workers from the site, frustrated by COVID curbs. Please use Chrome browser for a … 阅读全文

People in Beijing will have to prove they are COVID-negative to get into any public building from Thursday after a surge in cases. Authorities in the Chinese capital have said proof of a negative coronavirus test within the previous 48 hours will be required to enter shopping centres, hotels, government buildings and factories. It comes after the city reported 634 new cases in the 15 hours to 3pm local time on Tuesday and as the country tries to grapple with a new wave of the virus. Beijing, along with several other cities, committed to easing strict lockdown restrictions earlier this month. Changes included reducing quarantine periods for close contacts of cases and people arriving in the country by two days. But with China's first three COVID-related deaths in six months … 阅读全文

The main roads that run into the district of Haizhu stood almost silent this morning. While such arterial roads would usually be teeming with traffic, there were just a handful of cars. The reason for that was the big red barricades blocking the four-lane dual carriageway. Just a few cars made it past. Ours, along with most others, were waved away. Beyond is a district in lockdown, home to the vast majority of Guangzhou's COVID cases. The city is responsible for around a third of China's total infections. Haizhu is the epicentre of the epicentre. Read more: COVID-19: 'Situation is getting worse across China' Using another route, we were able to get closer, right up to a blue-fenced cordon. This area was, unexpectedly, a hive of activity. People on mopeds … 阅读全文

The Chinese government has called on retired military and government workers to help boost production at the world's largest iPhone factory amid COVID staff shortages. An open letter posted on WeChat asks veterans and ex-civil servants to "answer the government's call" and "take part in the resumption of production" at the Foxconn facility in Zhengzhou - where 70% of iPhones are made. The message came from the local Veteran Affairs Bureau of the Liberation Army in Henan province and offers bonuses of $112 (£95) for signing up and a further $423 (£359) after the first 30 days. Earlier this month, Apple reduced the number of new iPhone 14s it expected to ship as a result of production problems in Zhengzhou. Capacity at the factory could be down by as much … 阅读全文

To get one thing clear at the start: I've never done a triathlon. I've never climbed a mountain or swum the Channel. I've never been on a hiking holiday. Why am I telling you this? Because normally articles about long COVID start by describing the physical feats that sufferers are no longer able to perform. Look, the writers say. Once, these people were so healthy they ran ultra-marathons in their spare time. Now they can barely make it to the shops. It's not wrong exactly, but to me it always struck a false note, because when long COVID is leeching my energy, it's not the big things I miss, it's everything else. Energy to read or watch a show on TV. Energy to make plans and see them through, or … 阅读全文

China's COVID case load has soared to its highest since this year's strict two-month Shanghai lockdown, with the capital Beijing and other major cities seeing record daily infections. On Friday, the country reported 10,535 new locally transmitted cases were recorded on Thursday - the highest since 29 April when its commercial hub, Shanghai, was battling its most serious outbreak. The growing number of infections has spurred China's leadership to reaffirm its zero-COVID policy, which President Xi Jinping says is to save lives. The strategy has seen millions of residents confined to their homes, subject to mass testing programmes and enduring sudden lockdowns - in areas where positive coronavirus cases or their close contacts have been detected. The country's COVID-19 case load has remained small by global standards, and some believe … 阅读全文