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Coronavirus pandemic
ChinaDiplomacy

Flurry of Chinese diplomatic activity to stop coronavirus fallout on Beijing’s agenda

  • Envoys press ahead with plans for Xi Jinping’s landmark trip to Japan
  • Officials try to ease concerns about China’s handling of the crisis

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China’s efforts to stop the coronavirus from being imported back into the country has triggered unease in Japan, where new infections are on the rise. Photo: Reuters
Kristin Huang

Chinese envoys have gone on the coronavirus offensive, seeking to ease international concerns about the epidemic and pressing on with its diplomatic plans amid rising concerns about Beijing’s handling of the crisis and potential disruptions to its agenda.

Observers have said that several key gatherings between leaders of China and other countries might have to be postponed because of the outbreak, delaying investment and cooperation deals.

This includes plans for Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit Japan this year, the first by a Chinese head of state since Hu Jintao in 2008.

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But in the strongest signal yet that Beijing wants to minimise coronavirus fallout on foreign affairs, China’s top diplomat, Yang Jiechi, met Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, national security adviser Shigeru Kitamura and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for talks about the trip on Friday.

“There is no change in plans for President Xi’s visit at this moment,” Motegi said after the talks. “But as a state visit by a Chinese president is a once-in-a-decade event, it must accomplish something. We agreed to continue communicating to that end.”

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Motegi also said the two countries agreed to step up cooperation on tackling the epidemic, which has infected 82,000 and killed more than 2,800, mostly in mainland China.
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