Censors delete discussion of Beijing’s future COVID control

By HUIZHONG WU
Associated Press

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Online discussion was swirling in response to reported remarks of Beijing’s party secretary. On Monday, Beijing’s Communist Party chief reportedly said that the capital city will normalize pandemic prevention controls over the course of the next five years. Digital censors quickly deleted the hashtag “the next five years” Monday. The remarks were part of a report on the party’s management of the city. The report reviews the past five years while also announcing goals for the next five years. In Beijing, residents are required to hold a negative test from the past 72 hours to enter any public venue, including restaurants and offices.