China calls WHO chief 'irresponsible' for doubting zero-Covid strategy

China's uncompromising approach stands in contrast to most other parts of the world, where governments have chosen to live with the virus.

China hit back on Wednesday against what it called "irresponsible" comments by the head of the World Health Organization, who described the country's uncompromising and increasingly painful "zero COVID" policy as "not sustainable."

The policy has placed hundreds of millions of people across dozens of cities under various degrees of movement restrictions, most dramatically in Shanghai, causing significant economic damage in China and beyond and fuelling wide-spread frustration.

Officials in Shanghai, now in its sixth week under a sweeping lockdown, said on Wednesday half the city had achieved "zero COVID" status, but restrictions would remain in place.

China's uncompromising approach stands in contrast