China Covid: The politics driving the hellish lockdowns
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-63310524The world has largely moved on from Covid - except for China, where towns and cities are still shut down overnight.
And that's unlikely to change soon, judging by President Xi Jinping's opening speech at the Communist Party Congress on Sunday. China - and even the world - was hoping for a hint of relaxation. But Mr Xi, who is set to be handed a historic third term to lead the Party, said that the government would not "waver" in its commitment to record zero cases.
Driven by Mr Xi's approval, China's lockdowns have been incessant, unpredictable and hellish by most accounts. They have sparked food shortages, crippled healthcare access, hit the economy hard and even spurred rare signs of protest.
