On October 16, the couple, who had planned to visit the Terracotta Warriors, tested positive for the coronavirus. Following this, China implemented lockdown measures in a city of 4 million people, as well as in smaller cities and parts of Beijing, in an effort to contain a new outbreak that has spread to over 240 individuals across 11 provinces and regions. The government has taken strict actions such as closing schools and tourist sites, and has closely tracked the movements of the infected couple and their contacts. This aggressive response reflects China's "zero COVID" policy, which has been successful in keeping the country's death toll below 5,000 since the start of the pandemic. The size of the recent outbreak in China may be small compared to other countries, but it is significant for China. China's strict policy of eradicating the virus sets it apart from the rest of the world, which is gradually reopening. Other countries like New Zealand and Australia, which previously had a zero tolerance approach, have shifted towards reopening. China remains the only country still focused on completely eliminating the virus. Mi Feng, a spokesperson for the National Health Commission, emphasized the importance of maintaining the policy of defending against both external importation and internal resurgence of the virus. "The current measures of control must remain in place. The stringent approach taken by the government is based on specific Chinese considerations. The strong export industry has supported the economy. The Communist Party's firm control allows for effective implementation of lockdowns and testing. Beijing is preparing to host the Winter Olympics in February, and the low number of cases has become a point of pride for many Chinese people." China's leader, Xi Jinping, has highlighted the country's successful containment efforts as evidence of the effectiveness of its governance model. However, experts, both within China and internationally, have cautioned that this approach may not be sustainable. There are concerns that China could face increasing isolation, both diplomatically and economically, as global public opinion turns against it. According to Lynette Ong, a political scientist at the University of Toronto, the Chinese regime believes it must maintain a 'zero COVID' policy in order to preserve its legitimacy, despite the significant costs involved. In the early stages of the pandemic, the Chinese Communist Party's ability to control the virus appeared crucial to its hold on power. China initially tried to hide the outbreak in Wuhan, which caused widespread public anger. However, as the virus spread globally, China's strict lockdowns and mass testing efforts were praised and seen as examples for other countries. Xi Jinping highlighted how quickly China was able to control its number of cases compared to western democracies. Anger over the early handling of the Wuhan outbreak was replaced by strong nationalism. Countries with "zero COVID" policies were praised for prioritizing saving lives over convenience and economic growth. Now, as the pandemic continues into its second year and the delta variant spreads, countries are reevaluating their approaches. Australia, which had the longest lockdown, is ending quarantine for vaccinated residents returning from abroad. New Zealand has recently given up on its zero-COVID goal. Singapore is allowing vaccinated tourists from countries like Germany, the United States, and France to travel without quarantine. However, China has decided not to follow suit. Despite suggestions from experts like Zhang Wenhong to learn to coexist with the virus, he faced severe criticism online. A former Chinese health minister labeled this mindset as dangerous. The government of Singapore fears any opposition to its belief that they have successfully managed the pandemic. She mentioned that outbreaks have become so common that they are no longer surprising, but Chinese authorities are keen on maintaining control to prevent any potential instability. China is also hesitant due to the fact that medical resources are mostly concentrated in large cities, making it difficult for remote areas to handle a sudden increase in cases. Despite China's high vaccination rate of 75%, questions have arisen about the effectiveness of their domestically produced vaccines. However, the public seems to be in favor of the elimination strategy, at least for the time being. Residents in areas under lockdown have expressed frustration with what they perceive as unfair and strict social media restrictions, while travel remains unrestricted in areas without COVID-19 cases. Wealthy consumers have shifted their spending towards luxury items and expensive cars instead of overseas trips. Some believe that as long as there is still some level of freedom to travel, strict COVID-zero policies are not viewed as overly severe by the local population. However, other countries that have opted to live with the virus may reconsider their approach if infection rates rise, as seen in Singapore which re-imposed restrictions in September after a surge in cases. However, despite this, the government is continuing with plans to implement travel lanes. Experts warn that the costs of aiming for zero cases will have consequences. China's economy is facing a slowdown, with domestic travel declining during a recent holiday due to a new cluster of cases. Retail sales have been inconsistent, fluctuating with the spread of the virus. Additionally, there may be diplomatic repercussions for the country. Xi has remained in China and avoided meeting with foreign visitors since early 2020, while other world leaders are preparing for summits in Rome and Glasgow. China's strict approach is also affecting Hong Kong, where leaders are aligning their COVID prevention policies with the mainland's, leading to the implementation of the world's longest quarantine. Despite concerns from business leaders about foreign firms leaving, some people support the restrictions but question whether there is a plan for exiting them. “If the current situation persists for an extended period, such as the pandemic lasting another five or 10 years or becoming endemic, it may be necessary to consider implementing new measures.” Some officials have suggested the idea of easing restrictions, albeit cautiously, in response to these concerns. Gao Fu, the director of China's Center for Disease Control and Prevention, mentioned in a recent interview that once the country reaches an 85% vaccination rate, it might be time to consider reopening. However, he acknowledged the sensitivity of the issue. In the meantime, individuals affected by lockdowns have been making the best of their circumstances. For example, approximately 10,000 tourists are currently stuck in Ejin Banner, Inner Mongolia, due to a lockdown. To offer some comfort, the local tourism association has promised them free access to three popular tourist sites within the next three years. Copyright 2021 The New York Times Company.