Chinese President Xi Jinping ‘confident’ coronavirus outbreak can be contained

President makes first public appearance since January 28 to say that measures taken to control outbreak are working

Xi also welcomes Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen to Beijing, saying Cambodians stuck in Wuhan will be well looked after

Reading Time:3 minutes

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday made his first public appearance since January 28 to welcome visiting Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 7:35pm, 5 Feb 2020Updated: 6:02pm, 14 Feb 2020

China is making good progress in containing the deadly coronavirus outbreak, President Xi Jinping said on Wednesday during his first public appearance in eight days, as he welcomed Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen to Beijing.

Hun Sen is the first foreign leader to visit China since the introduction of emergency measures to tackle the outbreak, which originated in December in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province.

In footage shown by state broadcaster CCTV, Xi said China had adopted strict measures and was achieving results.

“China is confident and capable of containing the outbreak,” he said, adding that the Cambodian students stuck in Wuhan would be well taken care of.

Xi also chaired a legal work conference on Wednesday, at which he said the nation’s legal system had a key role to play in helping to contain the virus. It was essential, he said, that laws covering the trade in wild animals and the management of public health incidents were strictly enforced.

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2x faster

1.25x

250 WPM

Slow

Average

Fast

00:0000:00

1.25x