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Shenzhen
TechPolicy

Wider lockdowns in Shenzhen trigger exodus of travellers as China’s tech hub comes to a standstill

  • Key districts in Shenzhen, including Nanshan, where Tencent Holdings is based, has been put under semi-lockdown, after Covid-19 cases rose
  • Exhibitors travelling to a pet fair in Baoan district scrambled for last-minute flights upon learning that the event was cancelled

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A queue forms at a nucleic acid testing site in Nanshan district in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, on Thursday. Photo: Reuters
Iris Deng
China’s southern tech hub of Shenzhen stepped up its Covid-19 control measures on Thursday by putting key districts, including Nanshan, where many hi-tech firms are based, under semi-lockdown for at least three days.

The city of over 17 million escalated restrictions to a level unseen since March, when a week-long lockdown was imposed citywide to contain the few dozen cases that were detected daily. Local authorities recorded 62 cases on Wednesday, 27 of them asymptomatic – marking the highest daily tally in about half a year.

In contrast, life in neighbouring Hong Kong, where over 10,500 cases were logged on Thursday, remains largely uninterrupted, as tens of thousands of children returned to school for the start of a new academic year.

01:17

Shenzhen shuts down world’s largest electronics wholesale market due to Covid-19 outbreak

Shenzhen shuts down world’s largest electronics wholesale market due to Covid-19 outbreak

The Shenzhen government’s tightened controls are part of nationwide efforts to keep a lid on growing coronavirus outbreaks across the country – a task that is becoming increasingly difficult as more infectious variants emerge.

On Thursday afternoon, Chengdu – capital of southwestern Sichuan province – became the latest major Chinese city to lock down all of its 21 million residents, triggering frenzied last-minute shopping.
In Shenzhen’s Nanshan, where tech giant Tencent Holdings is headquartered, all large-scale events have been suspended from Thursday evening through Sunday. Non-essential businesses, such as karaoke rooms and cinemas, have been ordered to close, according to a government announcement. Supermarkets, farmers’ markets and restaurants have paused dine-in services.

All residents in the area are required to take a nucleic acid test every 24 hours and present a negative result to leave or enter any residential compound.

Similar restrictions have also been imposed in Baoan, a tech and exhibition hub, where Shenzhen’s airport is located. The districts of Futian, Luohu, Longgang and Longhua have been following similar rules since earlier this week.
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