Pandemic control shift seen as economic boon

ACCRA, Ghana — The easing of COVID-19 restrictions in China will contribute to the restoration of global supply chains, a Ghanaian expert says.

Alex Ampaabeng, a fiscal policy specialist who works for the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief in Ghana, said the optimized COVID-19 control measures in China are welcome news for the global economy because they are likely to help increase trade between China and the rest of the world.

With China optimizing its COVID-19 measures, inflation caused by inadequate supply could be brought under control, he said.

In China over the weeklong Spring Festival holiday, consumption soared, with cinemas packed and scenic spots teeming with tourists.

China's travel frenzy and shopping spree during the holiday season mirrored the vigor of the country's economy and bolstered people's confidence in the resumption of the world's second-largest economy, Ampaabeng said.

China is one of Ghana's biggest trading partners, and the latter could potentially enjoy a rise in domestic revenue earnings as a result of the Chinese government's decision to relax COVID-19 restrictions, he said.

China's refining policy is also seen as a boost to world tourism.

A Ruili Airlines flight, carrying more than 100 passengers from Kunming, landed in Sihanoukville in southwestern Cambodia on Friday, receiving a warm welcome from local authorities.

Speaking to reporters at the welcoming event, Hor Sarun, secretary of state for Cambodia's Ministry of Tourism, said Cambodia is ready to welcome all Chinese people and tourists.

Chea Aun, secretary of state for the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation, said he expected the number of Chinese tourists to Cambodia to reach pre-pandemic levels within a couple of years.

In the southeastern Mexican state of Yucatan a local official is looking to boost cultural and trade exchanges with Chinese counterparts to attract Chinese tourists.

Chinese travelers are usually deemed as "seekers of new experiences" with a love for learning and culture, said Miguel Andres Hernandez, undersecretary of market intelligence at the Yucatan Ministry of Tourism Development.

"The Chinese market is one of the most important for us, and we will continue trying to enrich and increase our twinning to generate a larger flow of tourists," said Hernandez, referring to the pairing of Yucatan with two Chinese provinces, Anhui and Sichuan.

Yucatan and Anhui signed a twinning agreement in 2014, and the Mexican state signed a memorandum of understanding with Sichuan on strengthening their partnership last year.

Pairing two geographically distant places as twin or sister cities or regions is a common practice of local governments to expand cultural and trade ties. Such twinning is "a spearhead to attract tourism and generate exchanges in good practices", Hernandez said.

The state rich in tourism resources can offer colorful experiences, from romantic beachside getaways to adventure tourism, he said.

Yucatan views tourism as a way of strengthening cultural exchanges and spurring the economy. The state has set its sights on the Chinese market as part of its tourism recovery strategy, he said.

                                                                                                      Xinhua