China’s Standing Committee met yesterday and made clear there will be no reverse whatsoever on “dynamic zero-Covid”.

To me, it’s increasingly clear China’s mass lockdowns and mostly closed borders will extend well into 2023.

https://t.co/Ctv4Egolz0

Some speculate China will reverse course once Xi gets his third term around Nov. I just can’t see that happening. Xi will not want the first six months of his new beginning to be tainted by a widespread outbreak, especially if elderly remain dangerously under-vaccinated.

Unless there is some sort of economic collapse in the next six months that forces China to change course, dynamic zero-Covid is here to stay and that’s something the world, including those in global supply chain logistics, need to understand.

This also has implications for Hong Kong, which has no choice but to hew to a lighter version of zero-Covid even though the coronavirus is all but endemic here.

After this year’s deadly surge waned, authorities are easing some restrictions.

But it’s hard to imagine HK following somewhere like Singapore any time soon in fully reopening to the world while the mainland remains “resolutely steadfast” in its commitment to dynamic zero-Covid.

"Until [they] vaccinate everyone vulnerable they can not loosen without undermining everything they have achieved over the last two years. But persisting with this policy risks undermining everything they have achieved over the last two years" - @niubi

https://sinocism.com/p/standing-committee-doubles-down-on?r=1h0eii&utm_medium=ios&s=r

Another good analysis of this important meeting by @cnmediaproject

"The meeting was a powerful affirmation of the 'dynamic zero-covid' policy China has pursued since 2020, and the readout is dominated by words like 'persistence' and 'unshakeable.'"

https://twitter.com/cnmediaproject/status/1522392409585635328