Beijing returns to work after local outbreak contained

With Beijing's COVID-19 infections falling, the city is steadily promoting the resumption of work and production in an orderly manner, People's Daily reported.

Multiple measures have been rolled out to facilitate work resumption and help enterprises navigate difficulties.

As of June 6, Beijing's State-owned enterprises have provided 5.86 billion yuan ($877.83 million) in rental relief and exemption for nearly 40,000 micro, small-sized enterprises and individual businesses, said Jin Qiuhong, deputy head of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of Beijing.

Earlier, it was announced at the State Council's executive meeting a policy of deferred premium payments for old age, unemployment and workplace safety insurance programs by micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, self-employed households and companies in five hard-hit sectors (namely catering, retail, tourism, civil aviation and highway, waterway and railway transportation) will be prolonged through the end of this year.

On this basis, the policy will be extended to other 17 industries facing serious difficulties, such as automobile and general equipment manufacturing, said Ma Zhaojun, deputy director of the Beijing Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau.

Beijing reported no new locally transmitted cases of COVID-19 as of 3 pm on Wednesday, and no new cases have been reported at the community level since Saturday, according to local authorities.