[Mr. Jeeves]

I was in Guangzhou last May and the formerly (pre-COVID) very busy Baiyun airport was empty - certainly very few foreign visitors or flights and most of those from the Middle East and India. Many Western businesses have already given up on China.

There were still decent numbers of people on the streets and in the malls, though. It didn't look as dead as recent YouTube videos from Beijing and Shanghai would suggest. But who can say what has been happening in the rural areas? Vast numbers of aging male farmers with three teeth each aren't particularly useful to the CPC - and could be disappearing at an accelerated rate.

[Phoenix8]

Very interesting, that supports these video claims somewhat.