Tag: zero-COVID

Chinese Regime Flip-Flops on COVID-19 Entry Requirements

China’s ruling communist party (CCP) has recently gone back and forth on its COVID-19 restrictions for entering the country. Just a day after announcing that it was lifting certain entry requirements, the regime stated that it was not loosening control. An expert believes the attempt to loosen restrictions is just for show ahead of the…


80,000 Stranded on Vacation: China’s Top Tourist Destination on Lockdown; Gordon Chang on Taiwan

China’s latest draconian lockdown hits Hainan Province, stranding 80,000 people on vacation. In the vacation town of Sanya, tourists are paying thousands of dollars out-of-pocket for a “forced lockdown order.” Plus, I speak with Gordon Chang about the latest in the U.S.–China match over Taiwan. Click the “Save” button below the video to access it…


Cosmetics Giants Maybelline, Shiseido, Abandon China Market Under Zero-Covid Policy

Maybelline, the old American makeup brand, is closing its outlets in China on a large scale. According to mainland media reports, the makeup brand “Maybelline New York,” which belongs to the L’Oréal Group, is gradually closing offline shops across the country. After that, most offline shops will be closed, but counters in the beauty collection…


Shenzhen Tasked to Find Residents Who Fled the Latest Lockdown

In the latest lockdown, approximately 12,000 residents immediately fled Baishizhou, an urban village of Shenzhen. Local authorities issued urgent notices to demand surrounding areas to not take in those who seek shelter. Baishizhou began a second lockdown on July 18. Local authorities adopted a 7-day closure of the communities, and residents started to flee the…


CCP Media Removes Expert’s View to Meet Zero-COVID Policy Needs

While the new COVID-19 variants are widely recognized to cause mild symptoms, the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) media has to say otherwise. An analysis of the BA.5 Omicron subvariant done by a Chinese expert and published by CCTV on July 11 a CCP state media agency was removed and replaced with a different analysis that…


China’s Q2 GDP Slows to 0.4 Percent as Lockdown Bites

The economic growth in China slowed sharply in the second quarter, underscoring the price of the regime’s zero-COVID policy and challenging Beijing’s whole-year target. Gross domestic product (GDP) grew 0.4 percent from a year earlier, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said on July 15. The official figures marked the worst performance since the country…


Hong Kong Lawmaker Who Took Photo With China’s Xi Tests Positive for COVID-19

A Hong Kong lawmaker who met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping during a rare visit to the city last week said he’s tested positive for COVID-19. Steven Ho, a member of Hong Kong’s largest pro-Beijing party, the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB), confirmed he was infected with COVID-19 on…


Over Half of South Korean Companies in China Seek to Reduce Operations or Withdraw: Survey

Over half of South Korean companies are preparing to either reduce or withdraw businesses from China over its stringent zero-COVID measures, according to a recent survey. Meanwhile, some 40 percent of the respondents urged the South Korean government to intervene by informing the Chinese regime of their losses and providing solutions. In mid-June, the Shanghai…


H&M Closes Shanghai Flagship Store

H&M shut down its flagship store in Shanghai, the latest sign of the impact of Beijing’s strict zero-COVID policy on the business of international fast-fashion retailers. After two months of lockdown, the epicenter of Shanghai finally reopened; however, traffic in the city’s shopping centers remained low. The store was opened earlier this month, but now,…


Interesting Phenomena in Shanghai As Lockdown Eases Up

Although the lockdown measures in Shanghai are easing, residents are experiencing some distinct phenomena as the city is not yet back to normal. Secretary of the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee Li Qiang declared “victory in the battle to protect the big Shanghai,” at the once-every-five-year municipal CCP representatives meeting on June 25. The so-called “victory”…