Delegates wearing face masks sit before the opening session of the 20th National Congress of China's ruling Communist Party in Beijing, China on October 16, 2022. [AP Photo]
As China's ruling Communist Party holds a congress this week, many Beijing residents are focused on an issue not on the formal agenda: Will the end of the meeting bring an easing of China's at times draconian "zero-COVID" policies that are disrupting lives and the economy?