Xi breaks silence on divisions in China, warns of Covid-19 challenges

President Xi Jinping said tough challenges remain in China’s fight against Covid-19 and acknowledged divisions in society that led to rare spontaneous protests, after weeks of silence on a virus policy pivot that’s infected hundreds of millions and delivered a severe blow to economic activity.
 

In a New Year’s address on Saturday, Xi said the country is in a new phase of Covid control and has adapted after following a science-based and targeted approach. The day before, he said the nation’s strategy had been “optimized” to protect people’s lives and minimize economic costs.

The government on Dec. 7 took definitive