A key district in China’s capital has ordered some businesses providing non-essential services such as gyms and movie theaters to close to prevent the spread of COVID infections after President Xi Jinping reaffirmed his stringent COVID Zero policy.
Beijing’s eastern Chaoyang district, home to embassies and offices of multinationals including Apple Inc. and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., ordered companies “providing services other than those supporting residents’ livelihoods” to be closed until further notice, an official said at a briefing on Friday evening.
Businesses ordered closed include karaoke bars, internet cafes, museums and art galleries, said Yang Beibei, deputy director of Chaoyang district. New rounds of mass COVID tests were announced on Friday after the municipal government locked down some residential areas and subway stops in the city.
In the 24 hours ending 3 p.m. Saturday, Beijing added 78 new cases. Nationwide, 4,620 local infections were reported, most from Shanghai, the National Health Commission said, while 13 people died.
The city of Shanghai announced Saturday it would postpone entrance examinations for colleges and high schools until July, citing infection risk, while some of the city’s biggest manufacturers have said they are trying to restart plants.
Electric-vehicle battery maker Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. said in a statement that capacity at its Shanghai factory has returned to pre-pandemic levels.
“The plant is planning to increase production capacity if conditions allow,” according to the Tesla Inc. supplier.
China’s financial hub, also home to the country’s top automobile and semiconductor plants, said earlier that 70% of the city’s manufacturing facilities have resumed operation.