[Report] China Ahead of Wuhan Lockdown Lift... "Going to Wuhan. It's Safe."

People waiting in the waiting room to board a train to Wuhan from Beijing at 4:18 PM (local time) on the 6th, ahead of the lifting of the Wuhan lockdown. Currently, only limited entry to Wuhan from other regions is allowed, but from midnight on the 8th, people staying in Wuhan will also be able to leave for other areas. Photo by Sunmi Park, Beijing correspondent

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Sunmi Park]"I'm going to Wuhan. From April 8, the lockdown in Wuhan will be lifted, and I received messages from my family saying it's now safe to enter. I had planned to go after the Lunar New Year holiday at the end of January, but I'm only going home now."

On April 6, two days before the lockdown in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China was lifted, at Beijing West Station, Wang Hao (29) was waiting in the waiting room to board train G4815 bound for Wuhan from Beijing. Carrying three large suitcases, he was excited at the thought of reuniting with his family after a long time. He decided to return to his hometown upon hearing the news that the entry and exit restrictions for Wuhan, which had been locked down due to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), would be lifted from the 8th. Currently, only limited entry into Wuhan from other regions is allowed, but from midnight on the 8th, people staying in Wuhan will also be able to freely leave for other regions.

He had been working for an internet company in Beijing and originally planned to return to Wuhan after the Lunar New Year holiday at the end of January to find a new job and get married. However, due to the sudden outbreak of COVID-19 and the lockdown of Wuhan, he had to stay in Beijing for more than two months longer than planned.

The lifting of the Wuhan lockdown is enough to give Chinese people who consider Wuhan their hometown or live there the perception that it is no longer a dangerous place. Wang said, "Wuhan is now safe, which means we have won the war against COVID-19," adding, "My family also said Wuhan has become safe and that it's okay to come in now." This atmosphere can also be seen at the airport. On the 7th, one day before the lockdown was lifted, most flights departing from Wuhan on the 8th were fully booked. Domestic flights from Wuhan to Beijing currently only have connecting routes, and each flight had only 2 to 3 available seats.

However, outside of Wuhan, there are still strong concerns about lifting lockdown measures. A couple traveling from Beijing West Station to Nanchang in Jiangxi Province near Wuhan said, "When the Wuhan lockdown is lifted, many people from Wuhan will move to nearby areas, and people in Nanchang who share the same train route can't help but worry," adding, "It's not that we dislike people from Wuhan, but it's because of the potential risk of infection."

On the afternoon of the 6th, Dongwien Dasha in Wudaokou, Beijing. This area, where many Korean international students frequent restaurants, has only 2 to 3 places open on the first floor while the rest remain closed due to the ban on international students entering the country. Photo by Sunmi Park, Beijing correspondent

Subaojie, the largest dining area near Beijing West Station, is still far from its usual lively atmosphere.

An employee at a milk tea shop there said, "Before the COVID-19 outbreak, we had about 500 customers a day, but now, even during the Qingming Festival holiday, there are only about 80 customers." Wudaokou, where many universities are concentrated and many international students live, has more shops closed than open, and the foot traffic is almost nonexistent, making it a bleak situation.

Mr. Zhang, a taxi driver in Beijing, said, "Even if the Wuhan lockdown is lifted, hardly anyone believes Beijing will return to normal before COVID-19," adding, "Among Chinese cities, Beijing's controls will be lifted the latest." He added, "My earnings have dropped by about 20% since COVID-19, and when drivers meet and talk, many pessimistically say we have to endure like this until summer."

Unlike Wuhan citizens who say it is "no longer a dangerous place," local Korean residents in Wuhan also express concerns similar to those of other Chinese in different regions. There is a strong atmosphere of staying at home for the time being despite the lifting of restrictions, mainly due to concerns about transmission from asymptomatic carriers.

One Korean resident in Wuhan said in a phone interview, "Even after the 8th, lockdown-style management by residential area continues, with strict quarantine and control measures in place, and movement within the city will remain restricted for the time being." Another resident said, "Foot traffic has only recovered to about 40-50% of normal, most restaurants are still closed, and those that have opened only offer delivery," adding, "Especially, there is heightened vigilance toward foreigners, so even if other Korean residents return to Wuhan, they cannot freely move and live there."