Opinion | Risks must be kept to minimum as China returns to normal

There remains great uncertainty about Covid-19, even in China. Infected people who have recently come from overseas account for the vast majority of new cases and are reason for concern about a second wave of contagion. But the realisation that some people carry the disease even when they show no symptoms has raised concern about asymptomatic cases. Eradicating the disease remains a priority for Beijing, even though it has to somehow be done in tandem with restarting the nation’s economic engines.

A slew of policies to get people back to work, restore business confidence and protect companies have already been unveiled, with more to be rolled out. Billions of dollars have been pumped into infrastructure projects, subsidies given to small and medium-sized enterprises and banks ordered to defer loan repayments. Reviving the economy is essential to preventing social and political problems. Tens of millions live just above the poverty line and they desperately need income for food and other daily necessities.

Migrant workers, a critical part of the economy, have started trickling back to their places of work. Xi, who still wants China to meet its economic and social development goals for this year, has acknowledged that there are risks with returning to normal. There can be no let-up in preventive and precautionary measures and there has to be alertness to changing circumstances.