Reopening efforts may begin after winter Olympics

All set: A man walks past the Olympic rings on the exterior of the Bird’s Nest Stadium which is a venue for the upcoming 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. — AP

BEIJING: An adviser to China’s government said he hopes the country will gradually loosen its strict approach to battling Covid-19 after Beijing hosts the 2022 Winter Olympics, an event that could facilitate more interaction between global leaders.

Henry Wang Huiyao, an adviser to China’s State Council and founder of an influential Chinese think-tank, said closer collaboration between Washington, Beijing and the World Health Organisation could help open up his country, which has largely isolated itself as it follows a “Covid Zero” approach to suppressing the virus.