Shanghai releases 21 measures to aid enterprises during COVID-19 outbreak

Shanghai on Tuesday released a document containing 21 measures aimed at assisting enterprises amid the current COVID-19 outbreak.

The measures are related to tax rebates and reductions, fee reductions, rent reductions and exemptions, financial subsidies, and stabilization of jobs.

Official preliminary estimates showed that tax-related policies alone can reduce the burden on related industries and enterprises in the city by 140 billion yuan ($22 billion) this year.

"The measures were issued under the principle of planning for pandemic control and socioeconomic development as a whole. We're striving to achieve the best pandemic prevention and control result with the least cost," said Ruan Qing, deputy director of the Shanghai Development and Reform Commission, at a municipal news briefing.

Ruan said the Shanghai measures came after the country released policies to promote the steady growth of the industrial economy and the recovery of industries in the service sector in mid-February. Shanghai's measures offer stronger support to the businesses compared with the national one.

For example, the national policy stipulated that 50 percent of the cost of employees from retail and catering enterprises undergoing nucleic acid tests will be subsidized. This cost will be fully subsidized in Shanghai.

In addition, Shanghai will provide housing rent reduction or exemption to enterprises across all industries. The national policy only covers enterprises in the service sector.

Shanghai recorded 4,476 new locally transmitted COVID-19 infections on Monday, including 96 confirmed cases.

A total of 8.26 million residents in the regions east of the Huangpu River as well as key areas in Puxi, or regions west of the river, underwent nucleic acid testing on Monday as the municipality kicked off a new round of testing for residents that day.

From 5 am Monday to 5 am Friday, the regions mentioned above will be locked down. From 3 am Friday to 3 am April 5, other regions in the city will be locked down to facilitate testing.