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Coronavirus: Tech firms heed call as Chinese authorities urge people to stay home, go online for Lunar New Year
- The Chinese government is encouraging more domestic consumption, while allowing people to maintain a normal life without travelling
- Online streaming video service providers are expected to increase their offerings of free films and other content to meet demand during the holiday
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The Lunar New Year holiday in China ushers in the world’s biggest annual mass migration, as families reunite across the country. The government, however, has tightened travel restrictions this year and encouraged people to stay at home amid a resurgence in Covid-19 infections.
Chinese authorities urged the public to go online to satisfy their needs for entertainment, shopping and festive meals, while calling on tech companies to meet that user demand to help contain the latest coronavirus outbreak.
“It’s important to advocate against unnecessary travel during the Spring Festival holidays and to ensure services for the masses to celebrate the Chinese New Year locally,” said Zhao Chenxin, a spokesman for the National Development and Reform Commission, an agency under the State Council.
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Zhao on Wednesday called on online video service providers to increase their offerings of free films and other content, which could make avoiding travel more appealing to their users.
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The government has stepped up efforts to convince people, especially migrant workers, to stay put over the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday amid a spike in coronavirus infections. A number of cities have gone into lockdown in an effort to curb the outbreak, while various companies and local governments are offering workers and urban residents financial incentives to stay at home.
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