The managing director of the International Monetary Fund, Kristalina Georgieva, today welcomed Beijing's decision to relax the "zero covid" policy, stressing that it was a "decisive step forward".

"We welcome the decisive actions taken by the Chinese authorities (...) to recalibrate the policy on covid (SARS CoV-2)," Georgieva said today, quoted by Lusa, after a joint press conference with Prime Minister Li Kegiang in Huangshan, China.

On Wednesday, the health authorities in Beijing announced a general relaxation of health restrictions related to the spread of the Covid-19 virus, following protests by citizens of the People's Republic of China.

Among the main measures was an end to systematic, large-scale testing (PCR), the possibility of home isolation for mild, asymptomatic cases and limitations related to confinement.

The People's Republic of China's efforts to increase the vaccination rate are a good choice for "the Chinese people, for Asia and for the rest of the world," Georgieva added.

"China's performance is important (not only) for China, but also for the world economy," which has been aggravated by the war in Ukraine and the effects of the health crisis that have increased the cost of living in several countries.

The progressive abandonment of the "zero covid" strategy will contribute to "removing uncertainties", said Ngozi Okonjo-Iwela, director-general of the World Trade Organization (WTO) present at the same conference.

The secretary-general of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Mathias Corman, added that "these adjustments support (economic) strength and recovery in China and around the world".