Coronavirus: Wuhan, Los Angeles officials discuss getting back to work after lockdown

Officials from the two cities hold video conference on measures for economic recovery after virus is contained, Chinese foreign ministry says

Two countries have been trading barbs over origin and handling of pandemic, and Missouri attorney general has sued China for ‘trillions of dollars’ of losses

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China’s coronavirus epicentre Wuhan eased restrictions this month after a strict lockdown. Photo: AP

Published: 8:33pm, 22 Apr 2020Updated: 11:31pm, 22 Apr 2020

Officials from China’s coronavirus epicentre Wuhan and the US city of Los Angeles have discussed ways to reopen after lockdown and resume production, even as the two countries engage in a blame game over the pandemic.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said officials from the two municipal governments held a video conference on Tuesday and spoke about measures for economic recovery and getting their cities back to work after the virus was contained.

He said the presidents of Wuhan University and Ohio State University also held a video conference to discuss campus management during the pandemic.

The first cases of the deadly new virus were reported in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December, and it has since swept the globe, killing more than 177,000 people and infecting over 2.5 million worldwide. The United States is now the worst-hit country by far, with over 45,000 deaths.

But the situation has eased in China, and after three months of strict lockdown, Wuhan has lifted some restrictions including reopening its borders.

Geng said Chinese medical institutions had also been sharing their experiences in fighting the virus with their American counterparts, and had donated supplies to US states, cities, institutions and businesses and helped the US to buy medical supplies from Chinese manufacturers.