China eases, slightly, its draconian “zero-COVID” restrictions

A worker in protective clothing keeps watch near metal barriers set up around shops that were locked down as part of COVID-19 controls in Beijing, China, November 10, 2022. Andy Wong/AP Beijing — One day after President Xi Jinping chaired a meeting of China’s ruling Communist Party leaders on the country’s anti-coronavirus policies, and despite rising cases, the government announced a new 20-point plan on Friday that eased, slightly, its strict “zero-COVID” measures. The announcement came after months of speculation among Chinese residents and international travelers about how far Beijing might go to relax its restrictions, which have virtually closed…