US envoy warns of investing chill amid China's virus curbs

He expects zero-tolerance stance to continue till next year, dampening foreign investments

BEIJING China's biggest cities are doubling down on Covid-19 testing in a bid to stamp out persistent infections, as the US ambassador to the country warned that the zero-tolerance approach is likely to last beyond this year and actively chill foreign investment.

In Beijing, workers in key sectors including schools, hospitals and supermarkets, as well as delivery drivers and even people who live near airports with inbound flights, are being tested more often.

Shanghai announced plans to test the entire city every weekend until the end of July to stamp out the virus. Residential complexes where infections are found will be temporarily locked down.

The mass-testing drives come even as cases in China remain low in comparison to the rest of the world, which has largely eased curbs and is living with the virus.

Beijing reported seven new cases through mid-afternoon yesterday, while Shanghai had one new community case, city officials said during daily press briefings.

China is relying on frequent mass testing to stick to its zero- Covid stance in the face of the hyper-infectious Omicron variant.