China recorded the highest rates of coronavirus infection since last April, as data from the Chinese Health Authority showed that new local cases rose to 8,824 on Wednesday.
According to Arab Net, questions are being raised about China's zero-Covid policy, which has frustrated citizens and damaged the world's second largest economy.
Infections with the Covid virus are increasing in the capital of China's economically heavy province, Guangdong, which raises fears of another burden on the country's economy.
Schools in 8 of 11 districts in Guangzhou decided to adopt online classes for most students, starting Thursday. In the past few days, other parts of the city have ordered people to stay at home, and non-essential businesses to close.
In the current situation, it is difficult to know whether Guangzhou will repeat the Shanghai experience this spring, Nomura Bank said in a note late Wednesday. If that happens, it will lead to a new round of pessimism about China.
Earlier this year, the city of Shanghai shut down for nearly two months, and broader Covid controls pressured national GDP for the second quarter, which grew just 0.4%, according to official figures. The Chinese economy rebounded again in the third quarter with 3.9% growth, but then exports fell unexpectedly in October.
It was not immediately clear to what extent recent business restrictions in Guangzhou affected the factories' ability to operate. There are many manufacturers outside the city, but in the same county.
State-owned automaker GAC Group said its factories in Guangzhou are operating normally.
The company added in a statement: The epidemic did not cause a significant impact.
In just one week, the number of asymptomatic COVID-19 infections in Guangdong Province had tripled to 500 as of Wednesday. Meanwhile, asymptomatic infections rose seven times to about 2,500.
Late autumn is a popular time for conferences and business travel in China, and Guangzhou has indefinitely postponed its auto show that was scheduled to kick off next week. The country's largest auto show that was supposed to be hosted in Beijing earlier this year has not been rescheduled, CNBC reported.
