Prognosis
Xi Warns of Tough Covid Fight, Acknowledges Divisions in China
- Xi says disagreement ‘only natural,’ looks to build consensus
- Data shows slowdown in manufacturing, services activity
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President Xi Jinping said tough challenges remain in China’s fight against Covid-19 and acknowledged divisions in society that led to rare spontaneous protests, after weeks of silence on a virus policy pivot that’s infected hundreds of millions and delivered a severe blow to economic activity.
In a New Year’s address on Saturday, Xi said the country is in a new phase of Covid control and has adapted after following a science-based and targeted approach. The day before, he said the nation’s strategy had been “optimized” to protect people’s lives and minimize economic costs.