The manufacturing hub of Guangzhou closed itself to most arrivals Monday as China battles a major COVID-19 surge in its big eastern cities.
Shanghai has taken the brunt of the surge, with another 26,087 cases announced on Monday, only 914 of which showed symptoms. The city of 26 million is under a tight lockdown, with many residents confined to their homes for up to three weeks.
Only citizens with a “definite need" to leave Guangzhou can do so, and only if they test negative for the virus within 48 hours of departure, city spokesperson Chen Bin said in a social media announcement. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Sunday said China had “lodged solemn representations with the U.S." after the State Department advised Americans to reconsider travelling to China due to “arbitrary enforcement” of local laws and COVID-19 restrictions, particularly in Hong Kong, Jilin province and Shanghai. U.S. officials cited a risk of “parents and children being separated.”
The English-language China Daily acknowledged that Shanghai's measures are “far from perfect," and pointed to the firing last week of three local officials for failing in their duties. But it said that shouldn't become an “excuse to politicize the event and blame China.”