The Chinese city of Yuzhou, in the central province of Henan, has locked down its 1.1 million residents on reports of new coronavirus cases as officials rushed to contain even small outbreaks just over four weeks before the start of the Winter Olympics. After Xian, Port city Ningbo in Eastern China's Zhejiang has shut down parts of the city yesterday due to 23 COVID-19 cases in two days, mostly in a clothing factory. This has disrupted the industrial chains raising concerns about supplies getting disturbed for renowned international fashion brands like Nike and Adidas.<br />''<br />'' Ningbo became the second Chinese city to implement lockdown this winter following Xi'an, which has seen a record high of 1,663 infections since early December. China reported 175 coronavirus cases for Monday, up from 161 a day earlier. Of the new infections, 108 were locally transmitted, compared with 101 a day earlier. Most of the new local cases were in the Shaanxi province, where the capital Xi'an has been locked down. Xian's lockdown entered its 13th day on Tuesday as it started a new round of city-wide nucleic acid testing.<br />''<br />''Meanwhile, a US based consultancy Eurasia Group predicted that China's strict adherence to a zero-COVID policy will backfire in 2022, causing problems far beyond the country's borders. The group in its list of top political risks for the year, also sees the growing influence of tech giants and the American midterm elections as key risk factors to watch, along with Russia, Turkey and the global transition from fossil fuels to renewables.<br />''<br />''With just one month until the opening of the Beijing Winter Olympics, Beijing has been unable to finalize plans for spectators as the threat from the fast-spreading omicron COVID-19 variant grows amid China's goal of "zero COVID". China has maintained rigid restrictions aimed at keeping cases to zero, but infections have been spreading. The organizing committee and the International Olympic Committee said in late September that spectators will be limited to those living in China. But details such as the number of attendees, how the tickets will be sold and the conditions for entry, such as vaccination, have yet to be announced.<br />''<br />''<span style="color: #222222;">Meanwhile, state media reported that latest Omicron cases have affected the border reopening plan between HongKong and the mainland China. As per the report, Hongkong leader Carrie Lam said the government will expand a "vaccine bubble" beginning Feb. 24 to include venues such as gyms, cinemas and libraries as the city steps up its fight against the spread of the coronavirus. Only the vaccinated will be allowed into such venues.</span><br />