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[1/5] Pandemic prevention workers in protective suits walk in a street as coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreaks continue in Beijing, December 4, 2022. Daily tallies of new COVID infections have also dropped in some regions as authorities row back on testing. CHANGING MESSAGEAlongside the easing of local curbs, Vice Premier Sun Chunlan, who oversees COVID efforts, said last week the ability of the virus to cause disease was weakening. That change in messaging aligns with the position adopted by many health authorities around the world for more than a year. The eastern province of Zhejiang said it planned to largely end mass testing, while the metropolis of Nanjing dropped COVID tests for use of public transport.

☆ China Covid restrictions: Protesters win a partial victory as cities start to loosen controls
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Following protests nationwide, some local Chinese authorities have started to ease Covid restrictions – in what appears to be a shift toward gradual reopening as the country nears entering the fourth year of the pandemic. “I feel like everyone’s hard work is paying off,” said a protester who took part in a demonstration in Beijing. “Policy flip-flop is common.”In some cities, the partial relaxation has caused confusion and chaos on the ground. In Beijing, public venues such as shopping malls and office buildings still require a 48-hour negative Covid test for entry. I don’t celebrate, I just remember those brave friends with gratitude,” a Beijing resident posted on Weibo, in a reference to the protesters.

☆ Morgan Stanley upgrades China stocks as global investors cheer on Covid reopening hopes
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Hong Kong CNN Business —Global traders are increasingly feeling more bullish on China, as they bet the country will gradually unwind Covid restrictions following widespread protests. Starting Monday, Shanghai residents will no longer require a negative Covid test result to enter outdoor venues including parks and scenic attractions. “Multiple positive developments alongside a clear path set towards reopening warrant an upgrade and index target increases for China,” its analysts said in a research note on Monday. MSCI China, an index tracking major Chinese stocks available to global investors, will hit the 70 level by the end of 2023, according to Morgan Stanley. The offshore yuan, a key gauge of how international investors think about China, strengthened sharply against the US dollar on Monday.

☆ Chinese cities announce further easing of COVID curbs
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Martin Quin Pollard | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

REUTERS/David 'Dee' DelgadoBEIJING, Dec 4 (Reuters) - More Chinese cities including Urumqi in the far west announced easing of coronavirus curbs on Sunday, as China tries to make its zero-COVID policy more targeted and less onerous after extraordinary protests against restrictions last weekend. A deadly apartment fire last month in Urumqi had sparked dozens of protests against COVID curbs in over 20 cities, a show of civil disobediance unprecedented in mainland China since President Xi Jinping took power in 2012. On Saturday in Beijing, local authorities said purchasing fever, cough and sore throat medicines no longer requires real name registration. "We shouldn't shut down COVID testing stations until we get rid of the COVID test pass." GLOBAL OUTLIERXi's zero-COVID policy has made China a global outlier nearly three years into the pandemic, which started in the central Chinese city of Wuhan.

☆ A train passenger was ordered to pay $475 in damages for reclining his seat without notifying the person behind him
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Stephanie Stacey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A student's laptop was damaged after a fellow rail passenger unexpectedly reclined his seat. The student, identified as Wang, successfully sued the passenger, identified as Liu, for about $475. The court ruled that Liu neglected his obligation to tell Wang that he planned to recline his seat. Wang demanded Liu pay him 4,788 yuan to compensate for repair costs, taxis to the repair shop, and disruption to his journey. This week, the Xiangyin County People's Court ordered Liu to pay Wang 3,341 yuan, or about $475.

☆ Inside China's fight over the future of zero-COVID
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( David Stanway | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +10 min

After nearly three years, a significant loosening of zero-COVID measures has been signalled by senior government officials and public health experts. Vice Premier Sun Chunlan said on Thursday that China's health system had "withstood the test" of COVID, allowing further adjustments to state policies. "You can have zero-COVID, but you can't have a healthy economy, and you can have a healthy economy, but you can't have zero-COVID." Laura Yasaitis, a public health expert at the Eurasia Group think-tank who follows China's zero-COVID policies, said fear of the virus likely varied widely across the country, as well as within cities or provinces. Officials have repeatedly said that China's health system would be unable to cope with a surge in cases, with medical resources unevenly distributed across the country.

☆ Scenes from China as COVID protests flare
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Jeremy Schultz | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Residents tear down fencing used for containing COVID outbreaks, as nationwide public anger mounts over the "zero-COVID" policy curbs, in Wuhan, Hubei province, China in this still image from undated video released November 27, 2022 and obtained by...moreResidents tear down fencing used for containing COVID outbreaks, as nationwide public anger mounts over the "zero-COVID" policy curbs, in Wuhan, Hubei province, China in this still image from undated video released November 27, 2022 and obtained by REUTERSClose

☆ DeSantis praises Chinese protesters for 'finally speaking out' against 'draconian' COVID-19 lockdowns
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

DeSantis praised the protestors and said COVID lockdowns belong in the "ash heap of history." Chinese protestors held up blank, white pieces of paper above their heads to protest against the zero COVID policies. "Zero COVID is just a pretext for them to do what they want to do anyways. He called China's COVID policies "draconian" and said lockdowns belong in the "ash heap of history." The White House has also weighed in on the protests in China, predicting that zero COVID policy would be ineffective.

☆ Dating apps and Telegram: How China protesters are defying authorities
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Eduardo Baptista | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Protesters came out in several Chinese cities for three days from Friday in a show of civil disobedience unprecedented since President Xi Jinping assumed power a decade ago. Authorities denied accusations posted on social media that a lockdown had prevented people escaping the blaze but that did not prevent protests on Urumqi streets, videos of which were posted on the Weibo and Douyin social media apps. Censors tried to scrub them quickly but they were downloaded and reposted not only across Chinese social media but also to Twitter and Instagram, which are blocked in China. A few hours before protesters gathered in cities like Shanghai and Chengdu, online flyers and pinned locations were widely shared on Telegram groups, Instagram and Twitter, social media users said. Police have been checking phones for VPNs and the Telegram app, residents and social media users said.

The pan-European STOXX 600 index (.STOXX) slipped 0.50% and MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe (.MIWD00000PUS) shed 0.71%. Emerging market stocks (.MSCIEF) dropped 0.94%. In currencies, the safe-haven Swiss franc and Japanese yen gained, while the Aussie dollar and Chinese yuan underperformed. CHINA FEARSIn Treasuries Benchmark 10-year notes were down 2.8 basis points to 3.674%, from 3.702% late on Friday. The 30-year bond was last down 2.7 basis points to yield 3.725%, from 3.752%, while the 2-year note was down 3.9 basis points to yield 4.4402%.

China's CSI300 Index (.CSI300) was down 1.8% after opening down 2.2% while the yuan also retreated. Australia's benchmark stock index (.AXJO) closed 0.42% lower while its risk-sensitive currency was off more than 1%. Japan's Nikkei stock index (.N225) was down 0.6%. In Shanghai, demonstrators and police clashed on Sunday night as protests over the country's stringent COVID restrictions flared for a third day. The COVID rules and resulting protests are creating fears the economic hit for China will be greater than first expected.

South Korea's KOSPI 200 index (.KS200) retreated 1.35% in early trade and New Zealand's S&P/NZX50 Index (.NZ50) was off 0.4%. In China, demonstrators and police clashed in Shanghai on Sunday night as protests over the country's stringent COVID restrictions flared for a third day. There were also protests in Wuhan, Chengdu and parts of the capital Beijing late Sunday as COVID restrictions were put in place in an attempt to quell fresh outbreaks. The COVID rules and resulting protests are creating fears the economic hit for China will be greater than expected. "This remains a headwind for oil demand that, combined with weakness in the U.S. dollar, is creating a negative backdrop for oil prices."

☆ China doubles down on its 'zero COVID' rules while protests in major cities grow
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Rebecca Cohen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Two international politics experts told Insider that while reversing some zero COVID policies could ease protestors, it won't be enough to send them home for good. But the government has shown no signs of easing any other zero COVID rules. Protesters around the country held up blank, white pieces of paper above their heads to protest against the zero COVID policies. But he doesn't predict a "broader relaxation of the zero covid policy." Xi voiced those concerns during a visit to Wuhan Tuesday in response to the zero COVID policies, state news agency Xinhua reported.

☆ U.S. criticizes China's zero Covid strategy, says Beijing needs to boost vaccination among elderly
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The White House on Monday criticized Beijing's zero Covid strategy as ineffective and said the Chinese people have a right to peacefully protest. "We've said that zero COVID is not a policy we pursuing here in the United States," the NSC spokesperson said. Vaccination rates among the elderly, one of the groups most vulnerable to Covid, are low in China compared to other countries. Dr. Ashish Jha, head of the White House Covid task force, said China should focus on making sure the elderly get vaccinated. Lockdowns and zero COVID is going to be very difficult to sustain," Jha told ABC's "This Week" on Sunday.

☆ Analysis: China protests highlight Xi's COVID policy dilemma - to walk it back or not
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

REUTERS/Thomas Peter/File PhotoBEIJING, Nov 29 (Reuters) - The rare street protests that erupted in cities across China over the weekend were a referendum against President Xi Jinping's zero-COVID policy and the strongest public defiance during his political career, China analysts said. Public dissatisfaction with Xi's zero-COVID policy, expressed on social media or offline in the form of putting up posters in universities or by protesting, is Xi's biggest domestic challenge since the 2019 protests in Hong Kong against an extradition bill. Although this authoritarian arrangement allowed Xi to be more powerful, it also contains vulnerabilities, as exposed by the protests, analysts said. "If he lets go, it would mean that his past zero-COVID policy has completely failed and he would have to take responsibility for it. Xi tried tweaking the zero-COVID policy with the release of "20 measures" last month, in an attempt to standardize prevention measures nationwide and make them friendlier to residents and to the economy.

REUTERS/Thomas PeterBEIJING, Nov 29 (Reuters) - The rare street protests that erupted in cities across China over the weekend were a referendum against President Xi Jinping's zero-COVID policy and the strongest public defiance during his political career, China analysts said. Public dissatisfaction with Xi's zero-COVID policy, expressed on social media or offline in the form of putting up posters in universities or by protesting, is Xi's biggest domestic challenge since the 2019 protests in Hong Kong against an extradition bill. Although this authoritarian arrangement allowed Xi to be more powerful, it also contains vulnerabilities, as exposed by the protests, analysts said. "If he lets go, it would mean that his past zero-COVID policy has completely failed and he would have to take responsibility for it. Xi tried tweaking the zero-COVID policy with the release of "20 measures" last month, in an attempt to standardize prevention measures nationwide and make them friendlier to residents and to the economy.

☆ Protests against Covid controls erupt across China
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Demonstrators against Covid restrictions hold blank sheets of paper during a protest in Beijing in the early hours of Monday, Nov. 28. BEIJING — Rare protests broke out across China over the weekend as groups of people vented their frustration over the zero-Covid policy. The unrest came as infections surged, prompting more local Covid controls, while a central government policy change earlier this month had raised hopes of a gradual easing. People's Daily, the Communist Party's official newspaper, ran a front page op-ed Monday on the need to make Covid controls more targeted and effective, while removing those that should be removed. On Sunday, municipal authorities said temporary controls on movement should not last more than 24 hours.

☆ China sees protests against COVID curbs
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +10 min

CHINA PROTESTS Fire deaths fuel COVID lockdown fury How the protests gained momentumProtests have flared in several cities in mainland China in recent days, in a wave of civil disobedience unprecedented since President Xi Jinping assumed power a decade ago. Protests reported across China Protest mapAlthough the demonstrations in recent days are thousands of miles apart, they share elements in common. Video shows crowds topple police barricades in the street to protest against COVID curbs in China’s Guangzhou Crowds topple police barricades in the street to protest against COVID curbs in Guangzhou, China. Nov. 25 – Urumqi protests Crowds took to the streets at night in Urumqi, chanting "End the lockdown!" Video shows people in China’s Xinjiang protesting against COVID lockdown measures in China Protests against COVID lockdown measures in China's XinjiangIn the capital, Beijing, some 2,700 km (1,678 miles) to the east, some residents under lockdown staged small-scale protests or confronted local officials over movement restrictions.

☆ China COVID cases hit fresh record high after weekend of protests
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Martin Quin Pollard | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Thomas PeterBEIJING, Nov 28 (Reuters) - China posted another record high COVID-19 infections on Monday, after an extraordinary weekend of protests across the country over restrictive coronavirus curbs, in scenes unprecedented since President Xi Jinping assumed power a decade ago. The deadly fire fuelled speculation that COVID curbs in the city, parts of which had been under lockdown for 100 days, had hindered rescue and escape, which city officials denied. China has stuck with Xi's zero-COVID policy even as much of the world has lifted most restrictions. China on Monday reported a fifth straight daily record of new local cases of 40,052, up from 39,506 a day earlier. Reporting by Martin Pollard; Writing by Tony Munroe and Brenda Goh; Editing by Michael PerryOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ China's zero-COVID lockdown protests drag on Chinese and Hong Kong stocks as unrest spooks investors
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The eruption of COVID-19 lockdown protests in China are weighing on stocks in the mainland and in Hong Kong. Hong Kong's benchmark Hang Seng Index shed more than 4% at the open and closed 1.6% lower. Mainland China's CSI 300 index dropped 1.1% on the day amid the demonstrations. The Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong dropped as much as 4% early in the day before recovering to close at about 1.6% lower. Mainland China's CSI 300 index shed 1.1% on the day.

In Beijing, hundreds of mostly young people demonstrated in the commercial heart of the city well into the small hours of Monday. Freedom of expression, freedom of the press, freedom of arts, freedom of movement, personal freedoms. A security guard tries to cover a protest slogan against zero-Covid on the campus of Peking University in Beijing. “Open your eyes and look at the world, dynamic zero-Covid is a lie,” the protest slogan at Peking University read. At Tsinghua University, another elite university in Beijing, hundreds of students gathered on a square to protest against zero-Covid and censorship.

☆ China reports new daily record COVID cases, curbs tighten across country
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SHANGHAI, Nov 25 (Reuters) - China on Friday reported another record high of daily COVID-19 infections, as cities across the country enforce measures and curbs to control outbreaks. Excluding imported infections, China reported 32,695 new local cases on Thursday, of which 3,041 were symptomatic and 29,654 were asymptomatic, up from 31,444 a day earlier. China's capital, Beijing, reported 424 symptomatic and 1,436 asymptomatic cases on Thursday, compared with 509 symptomatic and 1,139 asymptomatic cases the previous day, local government data showed. Financial hub Shanghai reported nine symptomatic cases and 77 asymptomatic cases on Thursday, compared with nine symptomatic cases and 58 asymptomatic cases a day before, the local health authority reported. Chongqing reported 258 new symptomatic locally transmitted COVID-19 infections and 6,242 asymptomatic cases for Thursday, compared with 409 symptomatic and 7,437 asymptomatic cases the previous day, local government authorities said.

☆ China Evergrande communicates with Wuhan over repossessed land
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] A crane stands at a construction site near the headquarters of China Evergrande Group in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China, Sept. 26, 2021. REUTERS/Aly Song/File PhotoNov 24 (Reuters) - Debt-laden developer China Evergrande Group (3333.HK) is communicating with a Chinese municipal district in Wuhan City that repossessed 134,500 hectares (332.4 acres) of land formerly held by a unit of the group. China Evergrande said it is communicating with the government of Jiangxia District in Wuhan City and "will file an administrative review on this matter to protect the legitimate rights and interests of the company". The company clarified that the municipal district retrieved its land-use rights over only 11 parcels of land under the project and it does not involve the project's other land parcels. China Evergrande, engulfed by $300 billion of liabilities in a deepening property sector debt crisis, aims to start negotiating restructuring terms next month and is combing through onshore assets to offer as credit enhancement to holders of its U.S. dollar-denominated bonds.

☆ Foxconn is stuck between rock and hard place
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

HONG KONG, Nov 24 (Reuters Breakingviews) - The $45 billion top Apple (AAPL.O) supplier Foxconn (2317.TW) is trying to resolve its problems in China with cash. Financial fixes can only do so much to tackle a problem stemming from Beijing’s zero-Covid policy. Workers have been upset after being forced to live in difficult conditions designed to stamp out Covid-19 infections. In every way, manufacturers in China face a long and bumpy road to recovery if they try to please both their workers and Beijing. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

☆ China's Baidu says it expects 'limited' impact from U.S. chip curbs
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-23 | by ( Sheila Chiang | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

"We think the impact is quite limited in the near future," Dou Shen, executive vice president and head of Baidu AI Cloud, said of the U.S. chip export controls. Chinese tech company Baidu expects that impact from U.S. chip sanctions on its businesses will be "limited," a company executive said on Tuesday during a Q&A session of its third quarter earnings call. In October, the United States imposed export controls limiting American businesses from selling semiconductors and chipmaking equipment to Chinese chip manufacturers. "A large portion of our AI Cloud business and even wider AI business does not rely too much on the highly advanced chips," said Shen. "And for the part of our businesses that need advanced chips, we have already stocked enough in hand to support our business in the near term," he said.

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