The Chinese president's high-profile reiteration of the policy reflects a political imperative not to reverse course and look weak in a year in which he needs to appear strong

Vice-Premier wants local government to help key companies get back to work after weeks of lockdowns in Shanghai and other cities.

With no end in sight to a lockdown that for some has lasted four weeks, frustrations are mounting behind the shuttered gates of the city's tower blocks

The target will require officials to accelerate testing and the transfer of positive cases to quarantine centres

The new restrictions highlight broad supply chain disruptions that are seen likely to lead to delays in shipments from companies including Apple

Hundreds of toll stations at exits from highways and highway service stations have been shut in China this month, official data has shown.

About 30 people wearing hazmat suits with the word "police" on their back could be seen scuffling outside a housing compound, taking away at least one person

The disruptions are sending a new ripple through global supply chains for goods ranging from electric cars to iPhones

Raising hopes for a shift in policy, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention published a guide on home quarantining on its social media page

China has put Shanghai under a tight lockdown since late March and neighbouring Kunshan has also tightened curbs to control the country's biggest Covid-19 outbreak

Police warn increasingly frustrated residents not to spread false information or forge road passes or other clearance certificates

But the picture elsewhere was less hopeful as world stocks slipped to their lowest levels in almost a month