Gal Luft

Opinion | China must reopen and Olympic Villages as ‘cocoon’ meeting hotels are a start

Repurpose them as ‘Friendship Villages’ and let businesspeople, scholars and students meet their Chinese counterparts there while keeping community infection at bay

As the rest of the world economy opens up, China cannot afford continued self-isolation

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Rooms at the Beijing Olympics Village seen last December 24. There are two other Olympic Villages in Yanqing and Zhangjiakou. These “closed loop” facilities could be put to good use, enabling China’s gradual reopening. Photo: AFP

Gal Luft

Published: 7:00pm, 26 Feb 2022

Now the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics is over, it is time for China to begin to consider its reopening in the face of a pandemic that is increasingly coming under control throughout the world.

China’s strict zero-tolerance strategy to keep Covid-19 case numbers low and its economy functioning has saved the lives of millions. But as countries return to normal life, it is time for China too to take the first steps to exit the pandemic.

The urgency in reopening its gates is not that tourists can visit the Great Wall and cruise the Yangtze River. There will be time to consider that later. China must at least partly reopen so its economy can remain competitive. The pandemic has shut the country to the world for more than two years, and while the country has been able to maintain its growth, its continued isolation will soon begin to take a toll on its competitiveness and leadership in a variety of fields.

The Chinese business culture is based on guanxi – personal trust and strong personal relationships which take years to build. Relationships need to be nurtured and maintained, and there are limits to doing this virtually and remotely.

If China is to continue developing business with the rest of the world, especially when so many other countries are working hard to isolate it, and if it wants its scholars to remain abreast of current events and scientific progress, it must allow Chinese and foreigners to meet in a safe environment, one that permits social interaction while limiting exposure to the community.

The Olympics showed that this is entirely doable. For almost one month, 3,000 athletes and guests descended on Beijing, showing that with smart management and execution, foreigners and Chinese can do great things together without causing the virus to spread into the community.

Opinion | China must reopen and Olympic Villages as ‘cocoon’ meeting hotels are a start

Repurpose them as ‘Friendship Villages’ and let businesspeople, scholars and students meet their Chinese counterparts there while keeping community infection at bay As the rest of the world economy opens up, China cannot afford continued self-isolation

Repurpose them as ‘Friendship Villages’ and let businesspeople, scholars and students meet their Chinese counterparts there while keeping community infection at bay

As the rest of the world economy opens up, China cannot afford continued self-isolation