Chinese President Xi Jinping praised the country's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, stating that policies were designed to prioritize protecting lives. In his New Year's address released on Saturday, Xi called for continued unity and efforts as the country entered a new phase in its approach to the coronavirus pandemic.
This marks the first time Xi has publicly addressed China's COVID-19 policy since the government scrapped its zero-COVID policy, which required mass testing, centralized quarantine, and lockdowns. However, the decision led to the resurgence of the outbreak across China, with countries worldwide imposing a testing mandate for arrivals from that part of the globe.
