Although China has relaxed anti-epidemic measures, people are worried about the epidemic and still reduce their time on the streets, and business activities have not ushered in a recovery.

(Reuters)

[Compilation of Sun Yuqing/Comprehensive Report] China announced the relaxation of the epidemic prevention level under the "white paper movement", but the lack of supporting measures has led to public grievances.

In a recent interview with Reuters, merchants in Wuhan City, Hubei Province admitted frankly that those who have been infected or are afraid of being infected are afraid to go out, so their business has not improved at all, and the government has not introduced revitalization measures, and they still have no hope of recovery.

The report pointed out that 60-year-old Zhu Zhongping (transliteration) opened a restaurant in the most lively neighborhood in Wuhan, but last Saturday (10th) most of the restaurants on the entire street were closed or empty. In the worst case, the situation in other places can be imagined, "I lose money every day, one thousand (RMB) a day, and I really can't make it through."

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He said that after the "zero-clearing" measures are relaxed, Wuhan's economic prospects are even worse than when the city was closed for 76 days in 2020. One of the reasons is that landlords no longer provide rental discounts.

In the past two years, local governments will also introduce rental subsidies, consumer coupons, etc. to support local businesses, but there are few related measures this year.

On Hanzheng Street, which is known as China's largest clothing wholesale market, the 48-year-old owner of a leather goods store surnamed Liang admitted that his business is struggling. "If the situation remains the same next year, the vendors will have to leave." There are many others. The merchants all told Reuters that they had no business to do at all; the only merchant within a few hundred meters with people queuing up was the pharmacy, because many people were frantically buying cold medicines because they were worried about the shortage of medical treatment.

The boss surnamed Huang who runs a marketing company also mentioned that there are not many new stores opened in the local area, and there are no new industries emerging, so their business is not good, and they are preparing to lay off employees.

A taxi driver surnamed Sun said that the government provided subsidies when the city was closed in 2020, and business was better then than now, but now people have no money. The money I make is only enough to pay the monthly car rental.”

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