Beijing, the huge capital of China, is starting to look like other Chinese cities battling the latest wave of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. Authorities are moving fast to try to prevent a massive COVID-19 epidemic, which could cause a nationwide lockdown like the one that has paralyzed Shanghai for more than three weeks. The political stakes are high as the ruling Communist Party prepares for a major congress this autumn, with President Xi Jinping seeking a third five-year term to reaffirm his position as China’s undisputed leader. Xi and the party’s main policy-making body, the Politburo, reaffirmed their commitment to a “zero COVID” policy on Friday, pitting China against much of the world. While many countries are abandoning restrictions and trying to live off the virus, China is keeping its international borders largely closed and closing entire cities to all but the necessary travel. The Politburo acknowledged the financial cost of the lockdowns, saying efforts should be made to “minimize the impact of the epidemic on economic and social development,” the official Xinhua news agency reported. CLOCKS Lockdown fears spark panic markets in Beijing:

Fears of COVID-19 lockdown spark panic markets in Beijing as mass trials begin

Beijing residents are hoarding up junk food and supplies, fearing officials could implement a massive lockdown – similar to the one in Shanghai that keeps millions in their homes for weeks – to curb the outbreak of COVID-19. 1:39
Despite the tax on the economy and everyday life, the zero-sum COVID-COVID approach is hailed by the Communist Party as a virtuous display of self-sacrifice under the slogan “Persistence is Victory”. Officials often point to China’s relatively low death toll and have accused the United States and other countries of virtually retreating. Li Bin, Deputy Minister of the National Health Commission of China, mentioned China’s huge population and insufficient medical resources. “If the COVID response slows down and allows the virus to be released, it will certainly lead to a huge number of infections in the short term and a large number of serious and fatal cases,” Lee told the media on Friday. Shanghai reported another 52 deaths on Thursday, bringing the death toll to 337 during the ongoing epidemic. Liang Wannian, head of China’s expert group on COVID-19, told the briefing that there were signs of improvement in Shanghai, but the situation remained serious. The city recorded about 15,000 new cases on Thursday, representing the vast majority nationwide.

Poor response to capital could damage the party’s reputation

Beijing’s strategy for timely testing and isolation seems to be working so far. About 200 cases and no deaths have been reported since the outbreak began a week ago, although the daily number of new cases has risen to almost 50. “I think Beijing can do better than other cities, because Beijing is the capital of China,” said Liu Xuan, a community worker. “And my job is to control and prevent viruses, so I feel confident.” Police and security guards patrol a blocked road leading to a besieged community in Beijing on April 27. Authorities in the Chinese capital are stepping up efforts to prevent a major COVID-19 epidemic such as the one in Shanghai. (Andy Wong / The Associated Press)
A failed response to the Beijing outbreak may not affect Xi’s plans for a third term, but it could damage the party’s reputation and, along with it, Xi’s room for maneuver on issues such as staff appointments, experts said. “Even if Xi Jinping himself is intact, a widespread sense of failure and frustration is bad for a year at the conference,” said Joseph Torigian, a Chinese political expert at the American University in Washington, DC. Liang, head of the COVID-19 expert group on China, said lockdowns across the city could be avoided if timely detection, reporting, isolation and treatment were done properly. “The battle with Omicron … does not necessarily mean that the whole city will be locked up,” he said. What remains unclear is whether the highly contagious variant will violate Beijing’s defenses and whether restrictive measures will be imposed in a way that minimizes disruption to daily life and the work of government and business.

School closures and mass exams

Beijing does not take risks. The government has ordered the closure of schools indefinitely and three rounds of testing on almost all of the capital’s 21 million residents this week. When cases are uncovered, entire buildings and sometimes neighborhoods are locked. Residents have generally complied with the requirements, entering long queues for testing and eating, and some extending out of supermarkets this week. The warning story for Beijing is Shanghai, China’s largest city, where millions of people have been quarantined for more than three weeks. Food has been depleted at times, and strict enforcement and lack of preparation have drawn strong criticism, despite government efforts to censor it. CLOCKS Mass testing for COVID-19 in Beijing:

Beijing launches mass tests after 26 COVID-19 cases reported on Sunday

People in Beijing’s Chaoyang district are being told they need to be tested for COVID-19 three times this week, after 26 cases were reported on Sunday. Meanwhile, metal barriers have been erected in Shanghai as part of its “ero COVID” strategy. 3:56
Images on the Internet show residents battling police and confronting health workers, kicking dams, screaming from their balconies and pounding pots and pans to show their frustration. The lockdown has hit the economy hard at a time when growth has already slowed. The International Monetary Fund has cut its forecast for Chinese growth to 4.4 percent this year due to the closure of Shanghai and other industrial centers. That would be lower than the 8.1 percent growth last year and below the Communist Party target of 5.5 percent. Yu Changping, a respiratory doctor at Wuhan University People’s Hospital, said that “suffering in people’s lives or financial impact is the pain we have to endure and the price we have to pay.” Yu said that if China failed to prevent the spread of COVID-19, “we would suffer heavier losses with greater and wider social and economic impact.” People pass through the gates of a closed primary school in Beijing on April 28. (Mark Schiefelbein / The Associated Press)
Any shortcomings in the government’s response could inspire citizens to take matters into their own hands, eroding party control, said June Teufel Dreyer, a Chinese policy expert at the University of Miami. Shanghai was lagging behind in areas such as food and medicine distribution and supplies for the elderly and pets. In response, residents gathered in ad hoc groups to offer relief, a development the party may have found troubling. “Will the party-government be able to regain control when the crisis subsides? I do not think it will be very easy to do so,” Dreyer said.