Beijing’s streets are once again jammed with traffic, tourists are rushing to book foreign holidays and businesses anticipate a pick-up in activity as China’s economy reawakens from three years of coronavirus restrictions, even as the country endures its worst outbreak of the pandemic.
While China remains submerged in an unprecedented wave of the virus, with tens of millions infected daily, the world’s second-largest economy is starting to show signs of coming back to life following the decision this month to abruptly dismantle the draconian zero-Covid system that sought to control the virus at the cost of keeping the country isolated.
Investors and analysts predict a brighter year ahead after Covid disrupted supply chains and forced stoppages on factory floors, as the economy recovers and begins to reconnect with the rest of the world. Demand for international travel is expected to surge when centralised quarantine for arrivals ends on January 8 and China allows citizens to renew expired passports.