Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has painted a dark picture of his country’s economy undermined by strict restrictions against Corona, considering that it is going through a “delicate moment in the face of greater difficulties than those recorded. in 2020 ”.
China, facing a new epidemic for months, has been pursuing since the beginning of April 2022 a “covid zero” strategy aimed at reducing the number of deaths as much as possible thanks to strict measures in locking, especially in Shanghai.
This health policy, strongly defended by Chinese President Xi Jinping, is having a huge impact on the economy, with large numbers of shops and businesses closing, factories slowing down and operations coming to a halt.
“Since March, and more since April, economic indicators related to employment, industrial production, electricity consumption and freight transportation have fallen sharply,” Li Keqiang said in a video conference on Wednesday. in front of thousands of local officials. .
He pointed out that “difficulties are in some respects, and to some extent, greater than in 2020, when the epidemic hits the country hard.”
Last May, China witnessed its worst economic performance in two years, with the lowest level of consumption on record and the unemployment rate close to the record rate.
“We are in a critical moment now to determine the direction of the economy for the entire year,” Li Keqiang said. “We must take this opportunity to get the economy back to normal.” The economic slowdown threatens the 5.5% growth target from Beijing.
Source: AFP
Source: Arabic RT
