The Economist - UK (2022-04-02)

52 China TheEconomistApril2nd 2022

flurry of document signings were also dashed. That would involve progresson various customs and trade rules. Andthat cannot happen as long as an eumember state, Lithuania, is being subjectedto a Chinese trade boycott as punishmentfor forging quasiofficial ties with Taiwan, other governments agree. Indeed,MrMi chel and Ms von der Leyen were expected to express the eu’s horror over Chinese fondness for economic coercion. But first and foremost, the summitwas seen as a chance to deliver messagesabout Ukraine. That involved seeking andsecur ing a video call with Mr Xi, the ultimatede cisionmaker in matters of foreignpolicy. Presummit negotiations were tense. Europeans explained that Mr Xi would hear a warning: that China will facea seri ous cost if it helps Mr Putin circumvent Western sanctions on Russia, or provides military aid. Chinese officials preemp tively instructed the Europeans not to threaten their leader.

Divisive predictions Europe is not used to talking war andpeace with China. “Our relations are basedon trade and the economy, which makesus very opportunistic,” says a Europeandip lomat in Beijing. Arguably, China isdoing Europe a favour by explaining howitex pects the West to be a loser from thecon flict in Ukraine. Chinese officials boastto ambassadors in Beijing that they seetheeu dividing between old and newer members. Those Chinese also predict that transatlan tic unity between Europe and Americawill crumble and that sanctions will fail to break Russia’s will, not least as European voters protest against high energyprices and flows of refugees from Ukraine. Chinese glee about Western disunityis useful: proving it wrong is a good starting point for an eustrategy towards China.As a second diplomat puts it: “China iswatch ing our Russia policy closely: howmuch pain we are willing to suffer. Europeisde monstrating that it is united and willingto pay a price.” The stakes are high, headds. Deterring a potential Chinese attackon Taiwan requires demonstrating thatthe West is capable of unity and resolve. Other voices urge calm. Chinaneeds Europe as a market, and as a sourceoftech nology and investments, they note,espe cially when China’s ties with Americaare in dire shape. Some of Europe’slargest companies have lucrative China opera tions which they are not about to abandon. According to diplomats, there is nosignof China circumventing sanctions onRussia. But Mr Putin is trying to redraw Europe’s borders by force, and Mr Xi will notcon demn him. That is a direct challengetothe eu’s founding principles. It cannot be business as usual. Mr Putin has shownEu rope that it needs a new China policy.n

Covid-19

An old problem

F

orweekstheauthoritiesinShanghai triedtostemanoutbreakofcovid19 witha whackamoleapproach.Individual buildingswerelockeddown,onlyforthe virus to spread elsewhere. Finally, on March28th,officialsdecidedtolockdown allofthecity’s25mresidentsintwophas es,beginningwiththeeastsideoftown, home to the main financial centre(see Businesssection).Peoplescrambledtobuy supplies.Vegetablesbecamescarce.Some bankersbegansleepingintheiroffices. ThelockdownisinlinewithChina’s “zerocovid”strategy,whichaimstocrush outbreaksbeforetheycanspreadwidely. Thousands of new cases of the highly transmissibleOmicronvariantaretesting thisapproach.Thewavehashitmostprov inces.Restrictionshavebeenimposedon dozensofcitiesandtowns.Theexperience ofHongKongiscausingChineseofficials tobeextravigilant.Notlongagothecity hadveryfewcases.Nowithasoneofthe highestdailydeathratesfromthevirus. Thevastmajorityofthedeadareunvacci natedoldpeople.Around65%ofover80s inHongKonghadnotbeenjabbedwhen theOmicronwavestarted. Themainlandhasasimilarproblem. Unlikeothercountries,whichmadejab bingtheelderlyandothervulnerablepeo plea priority,Chinafocusedonitsoverall vaccinationrate.Itstandsatnearly88%. Butonlyabouthalfofover80shavebeen fully vaccinated (see chart).Lessthan a fifthhavereceivedaboostershot.Some 52mpeopleovertheageof 60 havenotre ceivedtwojabs.Inofficialstatements,the governmentsoundsalarmed.Itseffortsto jabmaturefolkfacebigobstacles,though. Startwiththefactthatmanyoldpeople

thinkcovidvaccinesmightbedangerous. Whentheywererolledoutinlate2020,the stateonlyapprovedshotsforhealthypeo pleunder60.Itciteda lackofclinicaltrial data for elderly and vulnerable popula tions.Manyoldpeopleassumedthatthe vaccinescouldharmthem.Somehealth workersdid,too.“Thefirstimpressionis reallycritical,”saysChenZhengming,an epidemiologistattheUniversityofOxford. “Onceyouhaveformedyouropinionit’s reallydifficulttochange,itrequiresten timesmoreeffort.” Sincethen,themessagingsurrounding covidvaccineshasnothelped.Jingoistic statemediahavecriticised effectivefor eignmadejabs,whichhavenotbeenau thorisedinChinaforseeminglypolitical reasons.Thishasprobablyincreasedsus picion of Chinese vaccines, too, says HuangYanzhongoftheCouncilonForeign Relations,athinktankinAmerica.Even thoughtheChinesekindhavenowbeen declared safe for old folk, some health workersstilltellelderlypatientswithcer tainconditions,suchashighbloodpres sure,nottogetjabbed.Thatmakeslittle sense,saysMrHuang.“Evenifyou’recon cernedaboutsideeffects,whenyouweigh thatagainsttheriskofgettinginfectedand dying,it’sa nobrainer.” Buttheriskofgettinginfectedwithco vidanddyingis,fornow,verylowinChi na—andthatmakesthegovernment’sjob tougher.Atleastuntilrecently,thestate’s zerocovid policies have been effective. Manycitieshaveneverloggeda case.Most oldpeoplehavehardlybeenexposedtothe virus,andhavelittlefearofit asa result.

Don’tenduplikethechicken Localgovernments aretryingarangeof strategiestogetoldpeoplevaccinated.In theeasterncityofNantong,officialsare leaningonyoungerpeople,appealingto theirsenseoffilialduty.Getyourparents vaccinatedsotheycanbecomethe“silver hairedguardians”oftheirownhealth,say theauthorities.Acityintheprovinceof Hainanhasputouta lessloftyappeal:get vaccinatedandreceivea deadchicken.Of ficialsinothertownsareofferingcooking oil,eggsorcashinreturnforgettinga jab. In aparkinBeijing,two greentents wererecentlysetupfor vaccinatingold folk.Signs promised 200 yuan ($31)for thosereceivingtheirfirstdose.Whenyour correspondentvisited,halfa dozenpeople weresittinginonetent.Theyhadjustbeen jabbed andwerewaiting to seeifthere wereanysideeffects.Evenwitha steady flowofpatients, itwilltakemonthsfor Chinato vaccinateandboostitselderly population.Andsomewillremainunwill ing.Outsidethetent,ina wheelchair,wasa womaninher80s.Wouldshegettheshot? “Notinterested,”shesaid.“Itdoesnogood. AndI can’tbebothered.”n

B EIJING WhysomanyelderlyChinese areunvaccinated

Too little protection China, covid-19 vaccination status By selected age group, March 2022, %

Source:NationalHealthCommissionofChina

60-69

70-79

0+

100806040200

Onedose Twodoses Booster dose

Unvaccinated

The Economist - UK (2022-04-02)

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