BEIJING: Assertions by some Western media that China’s zero-COVID policy is straining global supply chains are both illogical and irresponsible.
Had it not been for China’s proactive COVID-19 containment strategy, shortages of goods would have probably nudged up retail prices in Walmart and Tesco stores across the world, impeded the shaky global economic recovery and further strained the already weakened global supply chains. As the world’s leading manufacturing hub and one of the largest global providers of commodities and consumer goods, China has adhered to rapid and science-based COVID-19 containment measures, which have proved to be effective. These actions, which include swift response, mass screening and large-scale vaccination, not only prevented a substantial number of domestic fatalities but also paved the way for the rapid resumption of normal production and daily life after epidemic resurgences were brought under control.
While some ports and factories were unavoidably affected by temporary restrictions due to the painstaking virus containment efforts, industries in the world’s second-largest economy have largely remained scatheless through recent outbreaks.
As soon as local outbreaks waned, manufacturers from Shenzhen to Shanghai quickly regained vigor and resumed delivering products such as iPhones and Teslas to consumers worldwide. Thanks to the resumption of normalcy, China, the world’s largest goods trading nation, has continued to ensure robust exports through the pandemic. According to the latest data, during the first half of this year, China’s foreign trade of goods expanded by 9.4 percent to nearly 3 trillion U.S. dollars despite the pandemic continuing to weigh on global trade. –Agencies
