REVIEW - Officials, Locals Expect Economic Hardships In China's Hubei Province After Lockdown

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th March, 2020) Despite the recent optimistic news that the quarantine and lockdown in China's Hubei province are set to be lifted in early April, locals tend to agree that coronavirus-related economic hardships in China, and especially in the Hubei province, are going to be immense.

Wuhan, which is the capital of Hubei and the city where the coronavirus disease originated, has been basically isolated from the world since January 23 due to the COVID-19 outbreak, later declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). Transport services inside the city have been suspended, the airport and railroad stations have not been functioning, and buses have been banned from entering the city. Wuhan residents were able to leave the city in cases of urgent need only, and entry to the city was also restricted.

Out of China's 81,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, more than 67,000 were registered in Hubei. Nonetheless, the peak of the epidemic in China is already over, with only a few new cases being reported daily. The authorities announced that the lockdown in Wuhan will be lifted on April 8, meaning that the country's railway would soon resume connection to Hubei's capital and 17 other cities in the province.

While the health crisis seems to be over, the economic consequences are yet to be assessed.

LOW-RANKING OFFICIAL SAYS HUBEI NEEDS 3 TO 5 YEARS TO OVERCOME ECONOMIC HARDSHIPS

Hubei will need from three to five years to overcome the economic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, an official told Sputnik on condition of anonymity, adding that the locals in Hubei will face unemployment and high competition.

The experts who were invited to Wuhan moved to other places for employment after the city went into lockdown, and the Wuhan natives who were working in other provinces were replaced, according to the official.

"Lack of income for a long time can lead to a national disaster. Many people who have low income work in the service sector, but the epidemic has significantly affected this sector, and it may not be able to recover for a long time. Since such people do not have much savings, there is a risk that they will face difficulties," the official said, adding that the local authorities in Hubei are already taking preventive measures to ease the economic hardships for locals.

According to the official, "it does not matter what kind of assistance will be provided because it still can not be compared to the income of people before the crisis." The restoration of economic growth should be the main priority and the end of lockdown is necessary for the economic development of the province, as well as for the containment of the coronavirus, the official concluded.

RESTRICTIONS FOR WORKERS FROM HUBEI IN OTHER PARTS OF CHINA

Wang, a worker from the Hubei province who is employed in the Shanghai-based company, told Sputnik about the restrictions he had to face due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including safety checks and difficulties while crossing checkpoints.

Wang left Hubei for Shanghai on March 17 on a bus, but when he reached a checkpoint in Suzhou on March 18, the bus driver was told to go back to Hubei, Wang said, adding that other buses from Hubei were also sent back to the province. Wang added that he did all the safety checks and received all the necessary certificates for the trip.

According to the worker, the local authorities in Shanghai have agreed to let people in after lengthy negotiations, but buses were not allowed. In the end, one of Wang's colleagues drove him to the Shanghai-based factory in his car.

Wang later realized that many foreign clients have canceled orders from China and the production in the country is now facing further difficulties due to the global pandemic. Right now, many businesses in China are trying to survive, according to the worker. Many companies will have to reduce staff if the global pandemic will not slow soon, Wang added.