While the rest of the world has long been living with the virus, China remains steadfast in its zero-Covid strategy. The government announced in mid-November that it would relax its strict regulations. Local German companies, however, speak more of a tightening.
German companies are also feeling the effects of the Chinese government's harsh corona policy and the burgeoning protests against it. "Since the Chinese central government announced slight easing of the corona measures in mid-November, we have seen a rather tightened implementation with increasing corona infections at the local level," said Jens, executive board member of the German Chamber of Commerce (AHK) in Beijing Hildebrandt.
This is increasingly encountering resentment in business and society, which is now being discharged. "The economic consequences in terms of primary products, functioning production, domestic supply chains and, above all, consumer confidence are becoming more noticeable," added Hildebrandt. "Some German companies are being hit by sudden, short-term closures, with some employees staying in the factories for shift work, others lacking employees who are locked down at home."
In the financial metropolis of Shanghai, security precautions are being tightened after the protests against the Corona policy. In the neighborhood where demonstrators had gathered over the weekend, the streets were cordoned off with metal bars. Police officers in safety vests patrolled in pairs. Patrol cars and police motorcycles were also used.
The demonstrations against the strict corona measures had spread to several cities on Sunday. They also turned into anti-government protests: in Shanghai, a group called for President Xi Jinping to resign. "Down with the Chinese Communist Party, down with Xi Jinping".
