When the pandemic first broke out, the world marveled at how quickly China seemed to

cope. Whole new hospitals rose up in days and the virus was quickly contained through

incredibly tough mass lockdowns.

However before has a government imposed so many restrictions on the movement of people,

but China is one of the world's most populous countries gripped by a virus no one had heard

of until recently.

But three years later, whilst the rest of the world has moved on, China was still stuck

in a succession of tough lockdowns until last month, when mass protests and rising COVID

infections brought China's zero COVID policy to a dramatic end.

In a dramatic about phase, the country that routinely locked down entire cities is dropping

its toughest COVID restrictions, despite soaring case numbers.

With restrictions suddenly lifted, COVID is now tearing through the population of the

country. How will China and the Chinese government cope?

You're listening to stories of our times from the times and the Sunday times. I'm Manvin

Rana. Today, China and the Great COVID Gamble.

It's almost exactly three years since an article appeared in the Times mentioning a mysterious

new virus in China. It was written by a correspondent on the ground who's been living in the Chinese

capital ever since.

This is DDTON. I am the Beijing correspondent for the Times of London. I have been working

for the paper for five years coming up the sixth year and I'm living in Beijing where

I get the front seat to what's going on in China when comes to the pandemic. I haven't

left the country for the past three years. I think the last time I was out of China

...