Beijing (AFP)

It is a new sign of gradual normalization at the epicenter of Covid-19: companies from Wuhan, the Chinese city where the new coronavirus appeared, were authorized to resume operations on Wednesday.

The announcement comes the day after Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to this municipality of 11 million inhabitants, from which all entry or exit has been prohibited since January 23 by virtue of a sanitary cordon.

Many other cities in central Hubei Province, of which Wuhan is the capital, have also been cordoned off. Measures that paralyze economic activity and factories in this highly industrialized region.

But now is the time to ease: the number of new daily cases of contamination has dropped dramatically at the epicenter, prompting Xi Jinping to declare that the epidemic was "practically halted".

And the authorities again authorized on Tuesday some residents of the province to move under certain conditions.

As for Wuhan enterprises producing basic goods and services for the population and hospitals, they will be able to restart without delay, the Hubei government announced on Wednesday.

This category includes companies in the medical sector (equipment, drugs, protective supplies) and public services (gas, water, electricity, heating, waste treatment).

Also concerned: companies in the food sector (supermarkets, production of cereals, meats, fruits, vegetables) or those of agricultural production (seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, animal feed).

- The auto sector is starting again -

Businesses in other sectors will not be allowed to resume operations until March 21, the provincial government said.

Exception to note: the companies which have "a great importance in the national and world production chain" will be able to restart as of now, but only after obtaining an authorization.

Wuhan is a very industrial city where many international groups have settled, notably automobiles.

The French PSA manages three factories there, for example. As for Renault, it has a production site and a research and development center.

Japanese Honda said in a statement that "production of a small number of vehicles" began on Wednesday. China's Dongfeng, a giant in the sector in the country and a partner of PSA and Renault, said AFP was ready to resume this week.

Rules similar to those in Wuhan also apply in "high risk" areas of the rest of Hubei. In the other weakly affected provincial territories, most companies are allowed to restart.

Nissan's Xiangyang plant has "started preparations to resume operations this week," the Japanese automaker told AFP.

- Planes and trains -

In addition, passenger transport by plane, train, car, boat and bus will be able to "gradually resume" in the moderately and slightly affected areas, the government of Hubei said.

The provincial authorities had already announced Tuesday a partial lifting of the restrictions on displacements of its inhabitants, who until now could not leave the commune where they were.

Most, with the exception of those from Wuhan, will now be able to move within Hubei, provided they are in good health and have not been in contact with a confirmed or suspected patient.

The province concentrates most of the cases (84%) and deaths (96%) linked to Covid-19 in China. The coronavirus has infected more than 81,000 people nationwide, including more than 3,100 fatally.

But the number of new daily infections has dropped gradually in Wuhan in recent weeks. And no other city in Hubei has announced additional cases for several days.

© 2020 AFP