Chinese cities keen to get back to work but coronavirus concerns grow as workers return
- Authorities in major centres like Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen have given the green light for businesses to resume operations, but advised them to remain flexible
- People should be allowed to work from home wherever possible, while those who spent their holidays in virus-hit areas should postpone their return
Wang Bin, a deputy director general at the Ministry of Commerce, said in Beijing on Sunday that companies were “encouraged to resume business on the basis of sound preparation against the pandemic”.
Central and local governments are trying to balance the need to control the outbreak, boost supplies for frontline medics and minimise the impact on thee economy.
The State Council, China’s cabinet, has ordered local governments, departments and companies to make plans to solve all difficulties to resume normal production “as soon as possible” while also ensuring epidemic controls.
The decision was “to provide enough material supply to fight the disease and to strongly support and stabilise the overall economy and society”, a State Council notice said.
In Beijing, mayor Chen Jining on Friday night visited several companies at Zhongguancun, a technology hub in the city’s Haidian district, to check on their preparations.