Liu Renjun News Today

This story was published as a companion piece to Orion's Winter 2023 Love Issue, a tome about devotion. Subscribe here and learn more here.  IN THE MIDDLE

The hustle and bustle of crowds has returned to restaurants, hotels and malls across China, as the nation heads into the first Spring Festival holidays after downgrading its management of COVID-19.

As Chinese people opt to avoid going out in face of COVID infection surge this week amid government’s efforts to flatten the infection curve, consumption is seen as being a major casualty, but Chinese economists said the impact will be rather temporary, with even no major dent on the December consumption data expected.