China recorded more than 34,900 new infections with the Covid-19 virus - yesterday, Thursday - without recording deaths, while Chinese cities, including the capital, Beijing and Shanghai, witnessed the lifting of closures and the resumption of studies and train movement in areas where no new infections were recorded with the virus.
Sources told Reuters that the Chinese authorities will also announce an easing of quarantine requirements and nationwide testing.
The "Foxconn" factory for the production of "iPhone" phones in the center of the country announced the return of about 10,000 workers to production lines, and the factory had witnessed - in addition to several Chinese cities and regions - protests in late November against the closure policy. and restrictions.
The strict "zero Covid" policy pursued by the Chinese authorities has also drawn Western criticism.
In this regard, Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks - in the capital, Beijing - with the President of the European Council, Charles Michel. Because of China's strict policy against the virus, Michel visited the Chinese capital only for one day, and moved in isolation in a "closed circle."
This is the first visit by a European leader to Beijing since the start of the Corona pandemic.
China's anti-COVID-19 policies have harmed its economy and affected almost every sector, such as domestic consumption, factory production and even global supply chains, and caused severe psychological distress to hundreds of millions of people.
Anger at the restrictions, some of the strictest in the world, has sparked dozens of protests in more than 20 cities in recent days, in an unprecedented show of civil disobedience in mainland China since President Xi Jinping came to power in 2012.
Less than 24 hours after protesters clashed with riot police in Guangzhou, a sprawling manufacturing hub north of Hong Kong, the city lifted lockdowns in at least seven of its districts.