Chinese official blames excessive implementation for complaints on COVID curbs

Public complaints about China's COVID-19 curbs stem from overzealous implementation, particularly when applied with a one-size-fits-all approach, rather than from the measures themselves, a senior health official said on Tuesday.

Cheng Youquan, a supervisory official of the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration, was speaking at a regular weekly briefing, following a weekend of widespread protests over stringent curbs.

"The problems highlighted by the public are not aimed at the epidemic prevention and control itself, but focus on simplifying prevention and control measures," he said.

China will move swiftly to resolve the difficulties people have drawn attention to, he added.

Asked if the protests would prompt authorities to reconsider the "zero-COVID" policy, Mi Feng, a spokesman for the National Health Commission, said efforts would continue to fine-tune policy to reduce its impact on society and the economy.