"Shanghai Aims to Achieve 'Zero COVID on Social Pages' by the 20th"

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[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] The city of Shanghai, China, which is currently under lockdown, has set a goal to achieve 'social zero COVID' by the 20th of this month.

According to major foreign media, on the 17th, China established a plan to achieve social zero COVID by the 20th. Social zero COVID is a Chinese epidemic prevention term meaning that new infections, including asymptomatic cases, occur only within quarantine control zones, effectively blocking the risk of community transmission.

Sources said that in recent days, this goal has been communicated to Shanghai Communist Party officials and organizations such as schools. Reuters explained that this implies Shanghai will further ease lockdown measures and allow a return to normal daily life.

Major foreign media also reported that the day before, Tianjie, Party Secretary of Baoshan District in Shanghai, stated that to achieve social zero COVID, efforts must be intensified for COVID-19 testing and accommodating confirmed cases in isolation facilities. They obtained a copy of his speech. Secretary Tian said, "The State Council, the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee, and Shanghai authorities have said that the turning point of the epidemic must appear on the 17th, and the 'zero COVID' status must be achieved by the 20th." He added, "This is a military order and there is no room for negotiation. We must grit our teeth and fight for victory."

Shanghai partially eased the full city lockdown that began on the 28th of last month on the 10th of this month, but only in limited areas. However, overall strict lockdowns continue, and residents suffering from food shortages and limited medical services are reaching the limits of their patience.

Meanwhile, the Shanghai Municipal Economic and Information Commission issued a statement on Chinese social media WeChat the day before, ordering companies to prepare 'closed-loop operation' plans. Closed-loop operation is a method where workers live and work within a closed area inside the factory.

However, the commission did not provide a timetable for when work could resume.

Bloomberg previously reported that Tesla plans to partially resume operations as early as the 18th and is preparing some workers to return. Tesla has suspended operations at its local factory for three weeks since Shanghai entered lockdown on the 28th of last month.

Chinese authorities announced on the 15th that 666 major companies in the semiconductor, automobile, and medical sectors in Shanghai are required to resume work.

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