Amid China's COVID surge, shoemaking companies face delay in logistics, new launches

The shoemaking industry in East China's Fujian Province has been impacted by the latest COVID-19 flare-ups in the country, resulting in delays in logistics and postponements of domestic sports brands' launches of new series.

A domestic sportswear brand on the condition of anonymity said that the local shoemaking enterprises in Quanzhou city have been affected significantly in daily production, as many shoe manufacturers are under closed-loop management, and logistics and delivery services are being restricted, reported Global Times.

The shoemaking industry is a major source for the local economy. Numerous shoemaking companies in the cities of Quanzhou and Putian in the Fujian Province confirmed that the supply chain has been delayed and even suspended due to the rise in the covid cases. Quanzhou is the most affected among them, reported Global Times.

Quanzhou has taken strict epidemic containing measures. For example, express services are suspended for the regions placed under quarantine, according to the Quanzhou Municipal Postal Administration. Delivery services have principally stopped receiving parcels from controlled areas but distribution services have remained normal.

Fujian recorded 69 new confirmed cases on Wednesday, among which, Quanzhou and Putian reported 65 and three cases respectively. The province also reported 162 asymptomatic cases, reported the newspaper.

Earlier, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that Beijing will stick to its "zero Covid-19" policy, days after National Health Commission (NHC) released new guidelines easing its control measures.The NHC had uploaded a new document on its website. Titled the Novel Coronavirus Diagnosis And Treatment Plan, it was the ninth revision to a document setting out COVID-19 policy for the country of 1.4 billion.China's zero-COVID policy is pushing cash-strapped local governments to the brink amid rising health care costs and efforts to control debt.

( With inputs from ANI )