China state media demands strict adherence to ‘zero-COVID’

BEIJING (AP) — China’s ruling party has called for strict adherence to the hard-line “zero-COVID” policy in an apparent attempt to guide public perceptions after regulations were eased slightly in places. The party’s flagship newspaper said in an editorial China must “unswervingly implement” the policy that requires mass obligatory testing and places millions under lockdown to try to eliminate the coronavirus. Local party officials are under immense pressure to stop outbreaks, though they’ve tried to slightly ease quarantine and other anti-virus measures to reduce costs and disruption. The Communist Party and leader Xi Jinping have deeply invested their authority and reputation in “zero-COVID,” but China appears to be taking cautious, incremental steps toward rejoining the world.