English language Chinese newspaper Global Times reports that the Chinese public holds stronger faith in their zero-Covid policy after seeing that the "living with the virus" scheme proved untenable in South Korea.

The paper said Friday that South Korea's COVID-19 control policy has received unprecedented attention in China as a hashtag dominated on Sina Weibo about the country giving up on "living with COVID-19" due to a spike in infections.

The article said that showing concern for their close neighbor, Chinese netizens expressed strong faith in their country's zero-Covid strategy, which is frequently criticized by some external forces.

One Weibo user said that as long as the virus keeps mutating in unknown directions, downplaying its harm as a common flu is equal to murder.

Another user commented that living with the virus involves taking necessary precautions while resuming our daily lives, not throwing away masks and partying all day long.

A noted Chinese virologist and epidemic control expert was cited as saying that the dynamic-zero strategy can rein in virus resurgences in about four weeks and putting it out is "just a matter of time."

China maintains stringent measures to keep the virus in check ahead of the Beijing Winter Olympics, such as a maximum four-week quarantine for incoming travelers.