Today’s Essential Eight:

1. Tweaking dynamic zero-Covid - The reductions in quarantine periods for international travelers and close contacts, along with the standardizing across the country of the classification of risk zones, look quite positive. It is part of the refining of "dynamic zero-Covid" to better balance anti-epidemic work with economic development the leadership has repeatedly signaled, and plenty of people now hope that some sort of a bottom is in on lockdown-related economic shocks. One question is how the government will react when BA.5 eventually gets into China and starts spreading, as it is doing just about everywhere else in the world right now. Another question is whether or not people with low grade fevers will also be allowed to quarantine at home.

2. Economic challenges - In another sign of how worried policymakers are Li Keqiang visited two ministries to discuss employment and social assistance policies.

3. Hong Kong confirms Xi’s visit, Article 23 appears imminent

4. G7 Co…