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Official defends China’s tough zero-Covid policy as showing ‘superiority’ of political system
- Spokesman for the country’s top political advisory body says pandemic controls are ‘relatively low-cost and effective’
- He also says criticism that it has disrupted global supply chains is ‘wrong’, saying it has instead ensured stability
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A Chinese official on Thursday defended the country’s strict zero-Covid controls, saying they showed the political system’s “superiority”, amid calls for the policy to be adjusted.
“Our pandemic control measures are relatively low-cost and effective,” said Guo Weimin, spokesman for the country’s top political advisory body the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.
“This has actualised the people-based political ideology and the superiority of our nation’s socialist system.”
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Guo made the remarks at a news conference ahead of the “two sessions” – the country’s biggest annual political meetings, which begin in Beijing on Friday.
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He had been asked if the tough Covid-19 strategy may need to be adjusted to reduce rising economic costs and disruptions to global exchanges.
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Guo said new waves of the pandemic in “some developed countries” had seen a high number of severe cases and fatalities and health care systems had been overwhelmed.
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