Coronavirus

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 …

Can you travel to China right now? The short answer is yes, but there are processes in place that you need to follow. Tom Simpson, CBBC’s Managing Director of China Operations and China Chief Representative, recounts his recent journey to China and shares important tips for those looking to do the same Since late March 2020, China’s borders have been tightened considerably, with the number of travellers entering China dropping… …

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… …

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… …

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 …

China’s border controls remain among the strictest in the world to avoid imported Covid-19 cases, although in the past few months there have been signs of a gradual relaxation of some of China’s travel restrictions. Here’s the latest Applying for a visa to China At a press conference on Monday, 15 March,  foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian stated that “With a view to resuming international travel in an orderly fashion,… …

Social commerce has emerged in recent years as an integration of social media and e-commerce. One of the most popular platforms known for social commerce is Xiaohongshu. or Little Red Book (RED), writes Sandra Weiss RED started off as a platform for sharing product reviews and recommendations among young Chinese consumers, after which the platform began to implement e-commerce features that allowed individual merchants or brands to open up stores… …

Matthew Nelson is general manager for the Asia Pacific region at research firm Mintel. Here he looks at some of the consequences of Covid-19 for Chinese consumers and what the future might look like What are the main changes that you have seen in Chinese consumers because of Covid? Mintel’s analysis of consumers, markets, new products and competitive landscapes provides a unique perspective on global and local economies. Mintel started …

Yan Bin is Chairman of the Reignwood Group and a member of the 13th National Committee of CPPCC. Here he talks about his role as an advisor to the Chinese government   As a CPPCC committee member, what are your thoughts on the way the Chinese government has handled COVID-19 so far? The two sessions were delayed this year from March to May due to pandemic. When the Coronavirus disrupted… …