The global pandemic of COVID-19 that broke out in early 2020 has become a challenge for all of humanity and for China as well. The purpose of the study is to investigate the experience, problems and socio-economic consequences in the context of China’s restrictions of the mobility of its citizens. The research objectives are to examine the relation between the Spring Migration and the total number of the confirmed cases in early 2020 in China; to show the socio-economic consequences of the pandemic in China; to analyze problems of the Chinese central and local governments during COVID-19. The following research methods have been used: structural-functional and logical methods. The information about the migration during the period from 1 to 30 January was taken from Location Baidu Service. The current data on the epidemic were acquired from the websites of the National Health and Family Planning Commission of the People’s Republic of China and Health Commission of local governments, and Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. China’s experience to fight with COVID-19 in the conditions of mobility restrictions turned out to be highly effective. From 1 to 23 January 2020 the number of people that migrated from Wuhan City was steadily increasing, reaching its peak on 21 and 22 January. The lockdown of Hubei province prevented an increase in the number of cases and another outbreak of the epidemic. Chinese central and local governments’ responses to contain the disease and alleviate the effects of the pandemic were uniform in policymaking but implemented differently within the framework of local government.

Boyarkina Anna Vladimirovna, Candidate of Sciences (Political Science), Associate Professor, Oriental Institute – School of Regional and International Studies, Academic Department of the English Language, Far Eastern Federal University, 8, Sukhanov st., Vladivostok , 690950, Russian Federation, e-mail: aboyarkina@gmail.com

Pecheritsa Vladimir Fyodorovich, Doctor of Sciences (History), Professor, Department of Political Studies, Oriental Institute – School of Regional and International Studies, Far Eastern Federal University, 8, Sukhanov st., Vladivostok, 690950, Russian Federation, 690950, e-mail: prof.pecheritsa@gmail.com

Boyarkina A.V., Pecheritsa V.F. China’s Experience of the Fight with the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Conditions of Restrictions of Population Mobility. The Bulletin of Irkutsk State University. Series Political Science and Religion Studies, 2021, vol. 36, pp. 57-66. https://doi.org/10.26516/2073-3380.2021.36.57 (in Russian)

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