The People’s Daily said in a front-page commentary on Monday that Xi’s strategy to eliminate the virus had proved “correct and effective” and that China “should unite more closely with Xi Jinping around the party’s leadership.” ” Citizens should adhere to the strategy “adamantly and unrelentingly” with measures “first, faster, stricter and more practical”, it said.
“At present, this is the most difficult time for epidemic prevention and control,” the People’s Daily Commentary said. China can “never let the hard-earned achievements of epidemic prevention and control go to waste,” it added.
China is struggling to contain a worsening outbreak that risks weakening growth in the world’s second-largest economy and disrupting global supply chains. The crisis has turned out to be one of the biggest tests ever for Xi, who may seek a third five-year term during the Communist Party Congress later this year.
Millions of people have been barred from stepping out of their homes in the city of Shanghai and the northeastern province of Jilin, prompting widespread criticism of their government’s response to the highly contagious Omron variant. Residents who lack groceries, medical care and patience have publicly aired their grievances against the Communist Party in rare displays of discontent.
More Chinese officials are heeding Xi’s call to implement tighter movement restrictions to curb the virus. The western city of Xi’an was partially closed for four days over the weekend. The central city of Zhengzhou also closed its airport district for two weeks and began large-scale testing in the area on Monday.
“The practice of the past two years has proved that the general strategy and policy of generalized epidemic prevention and control is correct and effective,” the People’s Daily said. It ran a similar front-page commentary earlier this month defending Xi’s Covid Zero strategy, saying the policy was necessary to save lives and keep the economy running.