More Chinese cities ease COVID curbs but full reopening unlikely

At least a dozen cities across China have eased COVID-19 restrictions following a wave of unprecedented protests last month, with Shanghai becoming the last metropolis to scrap tests for public transport and Urumqi reopening malls and restaurants for the first time in months.

In China’s biggest city, Shanghai, where protesters had called on President Xi Jinping to step down over his “zero-COVID” policy, authorities said on Sunday that residents will no longer need a negative test result to use public transport or enter outdoor venues such as parks and tourist attractions.