Chinese state media struck a triumphant chord over the country’s efforts to contain COVID-19, reflecting the government’s efforts to dilute perceptions that its shift away from the stringent approach was forced by public discontent.
“In the past three years, the virus has become weaker, but we have become stronger,” said the commentary that appeared Thursday in the Communist Party’s flagship People’s Daily and in local newspapers across the country.
“We got through the most difficult moment!” it added, before emphasizing the variant spreading in China has become less dangerous and hinting at economic reasons for making changes to President Xi Jinping’s strategy. “Epidemic prevention and development are two ends of a balance. Both are extremely important.”
