Chinese president Xi Jinping concedes citizens' 'frustration' at Covid lockdowns and suggests loosening of restrictions

Xi Jinping has admitted that Chinese people are "frustrated" with Covid lockdowns and suggested measures could be loosened because the Omicron variant is less lethal. In private talks with Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, in Beijing, the Chinese president said the rise of Omicron could allow China to ease its zero-Covid policies, according to senior officials speaking on condition of anonymity. China has already begun to loosen some restrictions, with cities across the country allowing businesses to reopen, ending requirements for daily PCR testing and allowing some Covid patients to quarantine at home. Discontent with China's hardline…