China called its economic performance “remarkable” on Wednesday, a day after the IMF called on Beijing to ease its draconian measures against covid-19, which the institution says pose a risk to global recovery.
In an interview Tuesday with AFP, The deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Gita Gopinath, affirmed that China should “readjust” its strategy to fight covid-19.
In China, as soon as a case appears, the authorities carry out massive and repeated tests of the population, restrict travel and even impose a lockdown when the number of cases is too high.
These measures have allowed the Asian giant to contain the virus since the beginning of 2020 and return to almost normal life, but they are greatly affecting business. Chinese diplomacy judged on Wednesday that China was still “an engine of world economic recovery.”
According to Zhao Lijian, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, the measures were necessary to “protect” the health of its citizens and the country “has achieved remarkable results that have helped recovery.”
“China has always taken a scientific, comprehensive and sound approach to the prevention and control” of the virus, Zhao said.
Forecasts
The IMF on Tuesday lowered its growth forecast for China this year to 4.8% (from 5.6% in October). At the global level, the IMF expects world GDP to increase by 4.4% (-0.5 points) after 5.9% last year.
AFP
