In Shenzhen, across the now almost entirely sealed border with Hong Kong, things are returning to a kind of normal. After a first quarter in which the economy shrank by 6.8 per cent, the worst of the coronavirus induced downturn appears past.

And while most governments worry that a financial crisis will follow the economic shock the virus has forced upon the globe, China appears exempt from that fear. Both bankers and those who work in the world of non-bank “shadow” lending say overdue loans came down dramatically in March from the peak in February and demand for new loans is slowly returning.

That isn’t to say all is well. For example, Shenzhen is home to some of the most successful private firms in China, from drone maker DJI to insurer Ping An and Tencent, the second most valuable company in the country.