China shuts up shop with Shanghai lockdown, China Cycle cancels

The latest and quickly record breaking wave of Covid-19 has prompted the full lockdown of key business hub Shanghai and the mandatory closure of key trade events, for which China Cycle has now confirmed it is one.

“Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic and the control policy in China, the 31st China International Bicycle Fair (China Cycle 2022), scheduled on May 6th to 9th, 2022, has been postponed. We apologise for the inconvenience brought to you,” wrote the organisers in a statement to potential visitors of the key eastern trade fair.

Globally, there is greater attention as to what is happening at the ports in the face of various restrictions present in the country. Specialist shipping sites have in the past week reported “surging” congestion where not so long ago the situation had been improving; it was, in fact, the West more proportionately to blame for holding up global shipping.

Some restrictions in Shenzen have lifted recently, meaning the re-opening of factories, but this did not immediately mean freight operations resumed. “Most container freight stations in Shenzhen are not operating, or are very limited, due to a lack of staff,” one forwarder told The Loadstar.

In Shanghai the situation is complex, with a “Zero-Covid Policy” currently operational and lockdowns in place in some districts, plus transport restrictions in force. At the present time these restrictions mean that drivers carrying goods leaving or entering the city are required to carry out PCR tests both in and out within 48 hours.

The lockdown of residents is to be run in two stages, splitting the 25 million resident city in half. The eastern side will lockdown from Monday for five days, while the western will follow with the same thereafter. The lockdown is the largest since the since China closed Wuhan two years ago.

Differing cities have differing policies, but the general mood is one of caution and thus slowed down.