China’s response to a surge in covid-19 cases is muddled

At the end of the 19th century, bold officials and a young emperor tried to reform China’s last imperial dynasty. They made sweeping changes in education, the armed forces and the economy to help the creaky Qing empire catch up with Japan and Western powers. They failed. The “hundred-day reforms”, as they became known, were scrapped by the emperor’s conservative aunt, the Empress Dowager.

China’s recent attempts to ease its draconian “zero-covid” controls were so ill-fated that some have dubbed them the “seven-day reforms”. They began on November 11th, when the government banned excessive mass testing, “arbitrary” lockdowns and other intrusive measures. Officials demanded more precise controls in order to limit the impact on people’s lives and livelihoods. Shijiazhuang, a northern city of about 11m people, stopped requiring that those entering public venues show a recent negative test result for covid-19. Some other cities also relaxed controls and removed covid-testing booths. Financial markets perked up. Some analysts saw Shijiazhuang’s approach as a possible precursor to a full opening of the country, following nearly three years of restrictions.