Foreign Policy

• Coronavirus: outbreak has stoked a rise in xenophobia, Chinese living abroad say (SCMP)
• Int'l community supports China in fighting novel coronavirus epidemic (Xinhua)
• US Attorney General William Barr blasts 'China's playbook' and Huawei's dominance of 5G, suggests alliance with Nokia and Ericsson (SCMP)
• Chinese construction projects abroad brace for delays, with no impact on future cooperation (Global Times)
• Chinese president discusses novel coronavirus control with Saudi king over phone (Xinhua)
• PLA Air Force to perform in Singapore despite epidemic (Global Times)
• Chinese President Xi Jinping 'confident' coronavirus outbreak can be contained (SCMP)

Domestic Policy

• Coronavirus: China reports 73 deaths and 3,143 new confirmed cases on Thursday (SCMP)
• Virus 'whistleblower' doctor in Wuhan dies from coronavirus (Global Times)
• Xinhua Headlines: Virus-hit Wuhan speeds up diagnosis, treatment of patients (Xinhua)
• China asks businesses to resume operation orderly (Xinhua)
• Chinese hospitals discharge 1,540 recovered patients of coronavirus infection (Xinhua)
• Rural affairs top priority of document (China Daily)
• Chinese scholar blames Xi Jinping, Communist Party for not controlling coronavirus outbreak (SCMP)
• Antiviral drug Remdesivir to be applied in clinical trials Thursday (Xinhua)

Hongkong

• Hong Kong protests spur increase in YouTube political commentary channels (SCMP)
• Coronavirus: Hongkongers in panic buying of rice, toilet paper and essentials as government stays mum on impending quarantine measures (SCMP)

Macau

• Macao's 1st novel coronavirus patient recovers, discharged from hospital (Xinhua)

Taiwan

• Taiwan halts visas for Hong Kong and Macau citizens as coronavirus deaths reach 565 globally (SCMP)

Economy

• Stock rally amid epidemic refutes slander (Global Times)
• Govt unveils policies to aid outbreak-hit SMEs (China Daily)
• China would expect an economic rebound in the second half of 2020: expert (People's Daily)

DPRK

• What would a North Korean nuclear submarine mean for US and its allies? (SCMP)
• North Korea ramps up mask output in battle for 'national survival' against coronavirus (SCMP)
• US Triton drones deployed to Guam for surveillance over China, North Korea (SCMP)

Mongolia

• Health Minister meets Chinese Ambassador (Montsame)
• Train travel in route Beijing-UB-Moscow cancelled from today by the request of Russia (Montsame)
• Consultation held between foreign ministries of Mongolia and Kuwait (Montsame)

^ top ^

Coronavirus: outbreak has stoked a rise in xenophobia, Chinese living abroad say (SCMP)
2020-02-07
The deadly coronavirus outbreak seems to have stoked an increase in xenophobia and anti-Chinese sentiment, according to members of Asian diaspora communities around the world. Amid sporadic attacks that have occurred in US and European cities, many overseas Asians interviewed by the South China Morning Post said that while they have not personally experienced extreme bigotry or physical attacks, daily "microaggressions" appear to have become more common since the outbreak. Sophie Xu, a 24-year-old British Chinese finance worker based in Frankfurt, said that many strangers have told her to leave Germany outright, or say "Chinese" or "coronavirus" when they see her in passing. "A friend of a friend got spat on in the streets by a group of men in Austria – she's not even Chinese but Vietnamese," she said. In just the past week, local media have reported random physical attacks on Chinese or Asians in New York City, Sheffield in England, and Berlin in Germany. In the New York and Sheffield cases, the victims were wearing masks. In Venice, Italy, two Chinese tourists were spat at on the street. The coronavirus, which originated in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, has killed more than 560 people and infected over 28,000, mostly in mainland China. But because the virus has now spread to more than 20 countries outside China, numerous countries have placed travel bans on those who have been to China. Jade, a 23-year-old Chinese British writer in London – who, like others interviewed for this article, asked that her surname not be published due to safety concerns – said that while she had not experienced racism herself, her immigrant parents were worried about their safety because of the reported attacks on Chinese people. "A man turned away from my dad in disgust when he passed him on the street … I was going to see a film with my dad, but he's too scared to go out in public where a lot of people are," said Jade. "I think media and social media play a big part in stirring up hysteria both in terms of people fearing the disease and people fearing racism," Jade added. "My parents follow a lot of blogs and media by overseas Chinese people in which racial incidents have been going viral, and this makes them fearful for the whole family." Michael, a 23-year-old Chinese Australian civil servant in Melbourne, said that "there's assumed blame on Chinese people for spreading the disease, especially as there are currently Chinese people quarantined on Christmas Island". The xenophobia is not surprising, according to Ying Miao, a lecturer in politics at Aston University in Birmingham, England, since there are few facts about the coronavirus other than it originated in China and most of the cases involve residents there. "When people are afraid we tend to delve into generalisations and stereotypes, in order to establish a sense of control again. But there is a fine line between trying to minimise risk and trying to assign blame to another race or nationality," she said. According to Emma Teng, a professor of Asian studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, disease-related xenophobia towards Chinese immigrants has a long history in the US, which draws the world's largest Chinese overseas student population. "Dating back to the San Francisco plague of 1900-1904, Chinese immigrants were blamed for bringing in the disease and the city imposed discriminatory and racist quarantine measures against Chinese residents," she said. Last week, the University of California, Berkeley, provoked an uproar on social media for publishing an infographic that included "xenophobia" and "fears about interacting with those who might be from Asia" on a list of "common" and "normal" reactions to the coronavirus. "Obviously, this new virus is very anxiety-provoking for many, but it is also drawing to the surface latent anti-Asian sentiment that has long-standing roots in American culture," said Teng. Social media campaigns like "JeNeSuisPasUnVirus" ("I am not a virus"), a hashtag originated by Asians in France to combat xenophobia, have inspired others to take a stand against the growing climate of fear and mistrust. A Chinese postgraduate student surnamed Ni at the University of Warwick is part of a group of Chinese international students trying to raise awareness of the issue in Britain through community workshops, posters and a coming protest. Ni said she had seen lots of racist comments online about a clip, from 2016, of a Chinese travel show host eating bat soup in Palau, suggesting that Chinese people are backwards and dirty in their eating habits. This out-of-context clip, she said, helped to promote the belief that Chinese people eating bats caused the outbreak, which scientists suspect originated at a seafood and wild animal market in Wuhan. "A lot of British people don't understand why Chinese people wear masks, and they will jokingly ask whether you drink bat soup," said Ni. "Before the outbreak, people would always ask whether Chinese people eat dogs or why our cuisine is so dirty and oily. These stereotypes have always existed, but the coronavirus has brought these prejudices out into the open." Ni said she feels anxious about wearing a mask in public, in case she gets attacked or yelled at by a stranger, and is sensitive to others' reactions if she sneezes or coughs. "Westerners tend to think that only sick people wear masks, but in Asia it is a protective measure against infections, especially in crowded cities," she said. "Asian people will wear them if they have seasonal allergies or even the common cold. But someone else's personal preference to wear a mask shouldn't be an excuse to attack them or discriminate against them. "Even if someone were infected, they shouldn't be attacked or verbally abused, but instead should receive help and treatment." ^ top ^

Int'l community supports China in fighting novel coronavirus epidemic (Xinhua)
2020-02-07
Many countries and international organizations have provided materials and other kinds of support for China in combating and controlling the novel coronavirus epidemic. As of 12 pm (0400 GMT) local time Thursday, China has received materials and other assistance over the fight against the epidemic from Belarus, Pakistan, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, South Korea, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Germany, Britain, France, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Estonia, Turkey, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Algeria, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Trinidad and Tobago, and Ghana, as well as from the United Nations Children's Fund, which have expressed their understanding and support in real actions. Meanwhile, companies, institutions, friendship personnel and oversea Chinese communities in Russia, the United States, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Iran, Britain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Peru have made donations. Among them, non-governmental groups in the United States donated medical detection equipment, and their counterparts from South Korea, Russia and Malaysia have provided hazmat suits, goggles and medical face masks many times. ^ top ^

US Attorney General William Barr blasts 'China's playbook' and Huawei's dominance of 5G, suggests alliance with Nokia and Ericsson (SCMP)
2020-02-07
The US is locked in a technological and ideological battle with China that, if mishandled, threatens the nation's economic prosperity, values and way of life, America's top justice official said on Thursday. "China has emerged as the United States' top geopolitical adversary," said US Attorney General William Barr in a speech at the Washington-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). "For China, success is a zero-sum game." Barr called on American universities, industry, society and its democratic allies to join together in countering the "blitzkrieg" threat posed by China's authoritarian system before it is too late. At one point he suggested that US companies should take controlling stakes in the international rivals of Chinese tech giants to counter their rise. Past administrations and many in the private sector had "too often been willing to countenance China's hardball tactics – and it has been this administration that has finally moved to confront and counteract China's playbook", said Barr, prompting enthusiastic applause from a handful of attendees in the packed hall. He focused fully half his speech on what he characterised as an era-defining rivalry over 5G technology, an arena in which Chinese companies enjoy somewhat rare technological superiority over their US counterparts. "The time is very short and we and our allies have to act quickly," Barr said. Barr's past experience as a Verizon telecommunications executive was on display as he outlined the 5G challenge, diving into details on spectrum, base stations, US telecoms infrastructure shortfalls and the need to create a viable market alternative to Huawei Technologies. In the absence of any real competition, Huawei – which Barr's department has targeted with numerous criminal indictments over commercial espionage and fraud – is currently pursuing a campaign to supply critical 5G infrastructure to municipal and national governments around the world. Most recently, and despite Washington's braying, Britain approved the limited use of Huawei technology in the development of its own 5G network. Barr said on Thursday that the US should consider throwing its weight behind Huawei's closest – though still distant – rivals: Finland's Nokia and Sweden's Ericsson. Such a strategy would see American companies take a controlling stake in one or both of the European firms, either directly or through an alliance with other private sector entities from US allies. "Putting our large market and financial muscle behind one or both of these firms would make it a far more formidable competitor and eliminate concerns over its staying power, or their staying power," said Barr. "We and our closest allies certainly need to be actively considering this approach." Barr was delivering an update on the Department of Justice's "China Initiative", a US policy set up by his predecessor in 2018 to identify and counter the Chinese theft of trade secrets and other strategic assets. The conference included a host of top FBI and Justice Department speakers. FBI Director Christopher Wray said his agency was honing a variety of traditional and non-traditional tools and tactics to counter what he called the "diverse and multilayered" Chinese threat. The FBI is conducting some 1,000 China-related investigations across all 56 of its field offices, bureau officials said, complemented by Department of Justice prosecution team leaders centred in five US offices: New York; San Francisco; Boston; Dallas, Texas; and Huntsville, Alabama. Under the China Initiative, the FBI arrested 24 people during the fiscal year ending in September, up from 15 arrests five years ago, officials said. In the last four months, it said it had arrested 19 more people. "We are not seeking a rise in cases for the numbers," said John Brown, assistant director of the FBI's counterintelligence division, but rather to check what he called the biggest US threat since Washington tried to counter Moscow during the Cold War. The US government's aggressive pursuit of such criminal cases has prompted accusations – from individuals in academia, the private sector and even the military – of racial profiling. On Thursday, officials sought to dispute that charge. "This is not about the Chinese people as a whole and it's sure as heck not about Chinese-Americans," said Wray. "But it is about the Chinese government." Barr, who has generally limited his public criticism of China to matters of commercial malpractice, also fired shots at Beijing over its treatment of Muslims in Xinjiang, its internet censorship and its opposition to "self-determination" in Hong Kong. According to recent reporting by The New York Times, which cited an unpublished manuscript by former national security adviser John Bolton, Barr has expressed unease at US President Donald Trump's apparent closeness with Chinese President Xi Jinping. In private conversations with Bolton, Barr raised concerns that Trump had led autocratic leaders, including Xi, to believe that he had "undue influence" over what should be considered independent judicial matters, The Times reported. In May 2018, Trump announced that he was working with Xi to get ZTE, a Chinese telecommunications giant that Washington had banned from procuring US technology, "back into business". Several weeks later, the US administration lifted the ban under an agreement in which the company put US$400 million in escrow. ^ top ^

Chinese construction projects abroad brace for delays, with no impact on future cooperation (Global Times)
2020-02-07
Due to the mass-quarantined populations in China and traffic control measures applied at home and abroad, some overseas construction projects contracted by Chinese building companies have had to be delayed. However, the companies say the impact from the novel coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan will be limited and will not hurt future cooperation between Chinese enterprises and foreign countries. A China-Sri Lanka Joint Research and Demonstration Center for Water Technology project which scheduled to be finished by the end of March has had to be delayed for about one month, Wei Hua, manager of the project under the China Tiesiju Civil Engineering Group, told the Global Times on Thursday. "We should have had 10 Chinese technicians install and test high-end equipment at the center after the Chinese New Year, but due to the virus in China, they cannot travel abroad now," Wei said. Meanwhile, feedbacks from the Sri Lankan government have been encouraging for Wei, who said there will be no change in their future cooperation. On Wednesday, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa together with about 1,000 people including cabinet ministers and lawmakers prayed for China in the fight against the deadly virus. Rajapaksa said Sri Lanka firmly believes China will be victorious over the epidemic, and stands firmly with the Chinese people in this regard, the Xinhua News Agency reported. China Railway 14th Bureau Group Co, which has 10 overseas projects and about 130 staff working abroad, told the Global Times that the coronavirus outbreak has resulted in less face-to-face contact between the company's senior staff and local authorities, as well as a lack of site inspections which has hindered the normal progress of some overseas projects. The company must consider possible local transport restrictions for imported goods from China, in addition to stricter approvals and procurements of supplies from China with longer time and higher costs, according to a statement the company sent to the Global Times on Thursday. The company followed local governments' rules and asked Chinese staff and workers who remained in China to postpone their returns to projects in Ecuador, Kazakhstan and Nepal. The China Communications Construction Co says that though the impact on projects will be apparent in the first quarter, it will have limited influence on the company's annual performance once the epidemic is under control. With its businesses covering more than 130 countries and regions, the company noted that the first quarter is usually a slack season, thus accounting for little in the year as a whole. According to China's Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, more than 7 percent of Chinese citizens work in the construction industry, roughly 97.65 million people. The country's huge population means the industry is labor intensive with a high level of mobility, and quarantines are generally applied to this group of people in China. With increasing infrastructure projects in countries along the Belt and Road Initiative, Chinese construction companies are taking care to abide by local rules and strive to safeguard their workers' safety and health. ^ top ^

Chinese president discusses novel coronavirus control with Saudi king over phone (Xinhua)
2020-02-06
Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud by phone on Thursday, discussing efforts to combat and control the novel coronavirus epidemic. During their phone conversation, Xi said he deeply appreciates that King Salman and the Saudi side have repeatedly expressed their firm support to China at this critical moment when China is fighting the pneumonia epidemic caused by the novel coronavirus, which has fully demonstrated the sincere friendship and the high level of comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries. The Chinese side stands ready to work with Saudi Arabia to support each other's core interests and major concerns, and push for greater development of bilateral relations, Xi added. Xi said that the whole country has taken actions, and become a nation of one mind to deal with the epidemic since the outbreak, adding that China has adopted the most thorough and strict prevention and control measures and waged a people's war on the epidemic. At present, these efforts are producing positive results, said Xi. Noting that China has a strong mobilization capacity and rich experience in responding to public health incidents, Xi said that China is fully confident and capable to win the fight against the epidemic. The forceful measures China has taken are not only responsible for the health of the Chinese people, but have also made huge contributions to the world's public safety, said Xi, adding that he hopes other countries can learn about and follow the guiding recommendations regarding travel and health issued by the World Health Organization. The Chinese side attaches great importance to the health and safety of all foreign nationals in China, including the Saudis, and will continue to take effective measures to guarantee their work and living conditions, said Xi. He also said that the Chinese side will keep on working with all countries, including Saudi Arabia, to jointly handle the epidemic, and maintain public health safety in the region and around the world in the spirit of openness and transparency. On behalf of the Saudi government and people, King Salman extended firm support to China's ongoing battle against the epidemic, and expressed sympathy with the friendly Chinese people over the loss caused by the epidemic. He said that the Saudi side highly appreciates the vigorous measures taken by the Chinese government against the epidemic, and believes that China will surely win the battle against the epidemic. The Saudi side highly values its comprehensive strategic partnership with China, and will staunchly stand with China under any circumstances, he said. As China currently faces difficulties, Saudi Arabia will spare no effort to provide support and assistance to China in the battle against the epidemic, said the Saudi king, adding that his country expects to strengthen friendly cooperation with China. ^ top ^

PLA Air Force to perform in Singapore despite epidemic (Global Times)
2020-02-06
An aerobatic team of the Chinese Air Force will perform at a Singaporean air-show as scheduled despite the coronavirus outbreak, while Singapore did not quarantine Chinese pilots who arrived in the country on Wednesday, a move shows its high level of trust in China's epidemic control measures. On the invitation of the Singaporean side, the Chinese Air Force's August 1st Air Demonstration Team will perform at the 2020 Singapore Airshow from Feb-ruary 11-16, as nine aircraft, including seven J-10 fighter jets that will be fea-tured and more than 100 personnel, arrived in Singapore on Wednesday, ac-cording to statements released by the Chinese Air Force and the Defense Minis-try. Despite the ongoing coronavirus epidemic, which has seen 99 countries and re-gions including Singapore taking immigration control measures, no change was seemingly made to the Chinese flight performance plan. After the Chinese pilots arrived on Wednesday, they started training for the performances without being quarantined, a source told the Global Times, not-ing that this showed Singapore's high level of trust in China's epidemic con-trol measures, which runs in contrast to some Western countries' moves. Air defense expert Fu Qianshao told the Global Times that the Chinese military has taken stringent protective measures, especially for pilots. For every flight, pilots have to undergo health checks and anyone found to be sick will not be allowed to fly at all, Fu said. At a time when China is fighting the virus outbreak, the performances of the August 1st Air Demonstration Team in Singapore will showcase the Chinese military's confidence, analysts said. The Singapore Airshow is a good chance to show China's epidemic control measures, and let the world see the Chinese speed and spirit from the Chinese pilots up close, Fu said. The August 1st Air Demonstration Team, or Bayi Aerobatic Team, is considered China's "honor guard of the sky," a window of military communication and an envoy of peace and friendship. This is the first time the team will be participating in the Singapore Airshow. At least 15 exhibitors have pulled out of the Singapore Airshow due to the coronavirus outbreak, such as South Korea's Black Eagles Air Demonstration Group, media reported. As many exhibitors retreat from the Singaporean event, the August 1st Air Demonstration Team's arrival should also be considered a strong sign of sup-port for Singapore, analysts said. Chinese and Singaporean military relations have been good since 2019, as the two countries signed an upgraded version of the Agreement on Defense Ex-changes and Security Cooperation in October. The Wednesday statement by China's Defense Ministry said the Chinese mili-tary's participation in the 2020 Singapore Airshow fully reflects the good mili-tary cooperation relations between the two sides. Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Saturday at a Chinese New Year Celebration event that Singapore is confident that China and other coun-tries will work together to win the battle against novel coronavirus, the Xinhua News Agency reported. ^ top ^

Chinese President Xi Jinping 'confident' coronavirus outbreak can be contained (SCMP)
2020-02-05
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. "Currently we are at the critical moment of controlling the epidemic," he said. "Offences jeopardising disease control, including resistance to control measures, violence towards medical staff, counterfeiting medical materials and the spreading of rumours must be severely curtailed." Xi was last seen on January 28, when he met World Health Organisation (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in Beijing. Since then, state media has released instructions and orders from the head of China's Communist Party but he has not been seen out and about. Xi chaired a meeting of the Politburo Standing Committee on January 25 – the first day of the Lunar New Year – at which a task force was set up to contain the outbreak. While the group is nominally headed by Premier Li Keqiang, Xi said he would personally direct and coordinate its efforts. As of 8:30pm Wednesday, there had been 24,391 confirmed infections in mainland China and 492 deaths, with a single fatality reported in Hong Kong. Around the world there were 24,605 confirmed cases. Health authorities in China have recently identified a number of patients who have become carriers and transmitters of the coronavirus despite showing no outward symptoms of infection. Li Xingwang, an expert in infectious diseases at Beijing Ditan Hospital, said most of the "dormant" carriers were related to and had caught the virus from patients with symptoms. Meanwhile, a newborn baby in Wuhan whose mother was infected with the coronavirus also tested positive just 30 hours after birth, raising concerns the infection might have been contracted in the womb. In more positive news, the Wuhan Institute of Virology has applied for a patent on an experimental drug it hopes could be used to treat the coronavirus. The application, which relates to the use of Remdesivir – an antiviral drug developed by American biotechnology company Gilead Sciences – was filed on January 21, the company said in an online statement. The drug has not been approved or licensed for use anywhere in the world, but has been rushed into trials in China after showing positive results when given to coronavirus patients. Hun Sen's visit to China came at short notice after the Cambodian leader said on Facebook on Tuesday that he would like to visit Wuhan – on his way back from a summit in the South Korean capital, Seoul – so he could meet the Cambodian citizens unable to leave the city, which has been in lockdown since January 23. Chinese officials, however, advised against such a trip and a visit to Beijing was agreed as an alternative. "My sudden decision to visit China at this special time is to show the great support to the Chinese government and people from the Cambodian government and people," Hun Sen told Xi when they met. The Cambodian leader also met Li during his brief stay. Hun Sen's Facebook post came after he was criticised by the Cambodian media for not arranging the evacuation of about two dozen Cambodians from Wuhan. Several countries, including the United States and Australia, have banned people who have recently visited China from entering their territories, a move Beijing described as an "excessive reaction" to the WHO's suggested measures. As a close ally to China, Hun Sen criticised "some countries" that had imposed "extreme restrictions", though he did not name any. Cambodia, which has reported just one confirmed coronavirus case, would maintain proper exchanges with China, he said. ^ top ^

Coronavirus: China reports 73 deaths and 3,143 new confirmed cases on Thursday (SCMP)
2020-02-07
Health authorities in China pegged deaths caused by the novel coronavirus epidemic on Thursday at 73, with 69 in Hubei province, according official figures released early Friday. The updated numbers raise the death toll in mainland China to 636. Newly confirmed cases rose by 3,143, a second consecutive daily drop, bringing the total to 28,985 cases in the country, according to data released on Friday morning by China's National Health Commission (NHC). Majority of the deaths came from Hubei, the epicentre of the outbreak, where 69 new fatalities from the epidemic were reported on Thursday, one less fatality compared with the day before. The total death toll in Hubei rose to 618, the province's health commission said. Hubei's health authority also reported 2,447 newly confirmed cases in the last 24 hours, bringing the province's total to 22,112. The number of new confirmed cases in the province dropped from a day earlier, when 2,987 were reported. Wuhan: the city under coronavirus lockdown Earlier on Thursday, the World Health Organisation cautioned against reading too much into data showing a dip in daily new coronavirus infections in China after that figure had been rising for weeks. Michael Ryan, the head of the WHO's health emergencies programme, said it was too early to make predictions on whether the outbreak had peaked. On Wednesday, the National Health Commission in Beijing reported a slight drop in newly confirmed cases of 3,694 nationwide, from the 3,887 reported on Tuesday. ^ top ^

Virus 'whistleblower' doctor in Wuhan dies from coronavirus (Global Times)
2020-02-07
Chinese doctor Li Wenliang, one of the eight "whistleblowers" who tried to warn other medics of the coronavirus outbreak but were reprimanded by local police, died from coronavirus early on Friday, the hospital where he received treatment announced. Wuhan Central Hospital released on its Weibo account that Li passed away at 2:58 am Friday after emergency treatment. Li was given emergency treatment with ECMO (extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation) after his heart stopped beating at around 21:30 Thursday, according to media reports. Li, a doctor who worked for Wuhan Central Hospital where he was also treated for coronavirus infection, initially warned his college classmates about the deadly virus in December 2019, urging them to take care. On December 30, he obtained a patient report suggesting SARS-like coronavirus positive signs. He then published information in a group chat saying that there have been seven confirmed cases of "SARS," according to one of his Weibo posts. On January 3, local police reprimanded him for spreading "online rumors" and required him to sign a letter of reprimand. Since then, he returned to work, the post said. After he received patients infected with coronavirus, he began coughing on January 10, then having fever the next day. He was subsequently hospitalized on January 12. Li was among eight Wuhan residents who were reprimanded by local police in early January for spreading "rumors" about the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. The information they spread online claimed that cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), the viral respiratory illness that battered China in the spring of 2003, were detected in some of Wuhan's hospitals. Many said the experience of the eight "whistle-blowers" was evidence of local authorities' incompetence to tackle a contagious and deadly virus. A top epidemiologist at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CCDC) said in a recent interview with Global Times' editor-in-chief Hu Xijin that we should highly praise the eight Wuhan residents. "They were wise before the outbreak," Zeng Guang, chief epidemiologist at the CCDC, said, adding though that any judgment needs to be backed by scientific evidence. Some Chinese netizens said local authorities owe him an official apology, claiming that it's heartbreaking news. "We lost a hero," a netizen said in a WeChat post, noting that if his warning could send an alarm, the outbreak might not have continued to worsen. The 34-year-old doctor who was originally from Northeast China's Liaoning Province, was enrolled in at Wuhan University in 2004, majoring in clinical medicine, according to media reports. After three-year of work in Xiamen, East China's Fujian Province, he returned to Wuhan and had been working at Wuhan Central Hospital since then. Media reports also said his wife, who is pregnant, was not in good conditions. Li said on his Weibo account that he was diagnosed with coronavirus infection on Saturday. Li told the media in earlier reports that "as the coronavirus continues to spread, I don't want to leave. I'll work on the frontline when I recover." ^ top ^

Xinhua Headlines: Virus-hit Wuhan speeds up diagnosis, treatment of patients (Xinhua)
2020-02-07
As more hospitals and qualified third-party institutions join the effort, Wuhan is now able to test nearly 4,200 nucleic acid samples per day, local authorities said. Apart from provincial and municipal centers for disease control and prevention, 25 hospitals and 12 qualified third-party institutions are able to conduct nucleic acid testing, according to the Hubei Provincial Health Commission. As of Monday, the novel coronavirus nucleic acid testing capability of Wuhan had increased to 4,196 samples per day from an initial 200 samples. The city is not only improving its nucleic acid testing capability, but also adding more testing methods to diagnose patients as soon as possible so as to control possible transmission and offer the patients proper treatment. More hospital beds are now available as the city raced to turn public facilities into makeshift hospitals. The first such hospital, converted from an exhibition center, began accepting patients Wednesday. The hospital will provide about 1,600 beds to infected patients. Two other public facilities have also been turned into hospitals, with a total of 2,800 beds. They started to take in patients with mild symptoms late Wednesday. After 10 days' work, the Leishenshan (Thunder God Mountain) Hospital, with a capacity of 1,600 beds in Wuhan, started to be delivered gradually on Thursday. On Feb. 2, the Huoshenshan (Fire God Mountain) Hospital, with a capacity of 1,000 beds, was delivered. As of Wednesday, a total of 10,117 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection had been reported in Wuhan. Computed tomography (CT) imaging has been added as an auxiliary testing method in Hubei, according to the latest diagnosis and treatment plan by the National Health Commission released Wednesday. This suggests that the diagnosis of the novel coronavirus in the province will no longer be solely dependent on nucleic acid test results. "The nucleic acid test result is the gold standard for the final diagnosis of novel coronavirus infections, but those who have a negative nucleic acid test result may see positive CT imaging results," said Zhang Xiaochun with the Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University. "It takes us time to learn about the novel coronavirus as well as testing and treatment for the disease. The method may help ease the difficulty in conducting nucleic acid tests in a short period of time, helping control the epidemic. "CT imaging is more convenient and accessible in primary hospitals. It will help reduce cross-infection, controlling the infection source and cutting off the transmission route because the patients, as soon as they are diagnosed, will be put under medical observation and receive necessary treatment." Despite the coldness and darkness before dawn, groups of confirmed patients were transferred by ambulance from designated hospitals and community hospitals across Wuhan to a makeshift hospital converted from a gymnasium on Thursday. Cai Yuzhong, an emergency physician from the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, and his colleagues were busy determining whether the patients would be admitted to the makeshift hospital. Medical workers of the National Emergency Medical Rescue Team from Shanghai and the provinces of central China's Hunan, east China's Fujian and northeast China's Liaoning waited for hours to admit the patients during the rain. They had gathered here Wednesday to make preparations. "At present, only confirmed patients with mild symptoms have entered the hospital and they have begun to receive isolation and observation and take oral medications," Cai said. "The patients are in stable condition. Some of them came here voluntarily from their community, while others were transferred from designated hospitals. "At first, some patients did not quite understand the practice of transferring them to the makeshift hospital and thought that it was irresponsible. "But we would explain to them patiently that it is the right treatment for them and they can trust us." Cai said that while strengthening the construction of supporting facilities at makeshift hospitals, the psychological stress of patients should also be considered. On Feb. 3, conversion work started on 13 venues including gymnasiums, sports centers and exhibition centers. As of 7:30 a.m. on Thursday, a total of 328 patients had been transferred to the three makeshift hospitals that opened Wednesday. The city had set up 132 quarantine sites by Tuesday, providing over 12,500 beds to cope with the surging number of patients confirmed or suspected to be infected with the novel coronavirus, said Hu Lishan, vice Party secretary of Wuhan, at a press conference on the prevention and control of the novel coronavirus outbreak on Wednesday. As hospital beds are still in short supply, Wuhan is gearing up to use private hospitals, hotels, schools and other places as designated sites for quarantine, observation and treatment of patients. Hubei has subsidized funds totaling 400 million yuan (over 57 million U.S. dollars) on construction of treatment sites across the province. "I hope that we can help them recover and go home as soon as possible," he said. ^ top ^

China asks businesses to resume operation orderly (Xinhua)
2020-02-07
Chinese authorities Thursday asked businesses outside Hubei Province to resume operation in an orderly manner while continuing to fight the novel coronavirus outbreak. This will provide better guarantee for the prevention and control work and help maintain normal economic and social order, according to a high-level meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee. The meeting of the leading group of the CPC Central Committee on the prevention and control of the novel coronavirus outbreak, which is headed by Li, also stressed maintaining concerted epidemic control efforts in Hubei, especially its capital city of Wuhan, where the outbreak hit hardest. A variety of measures should be adopted to add hospital beds and medical staff in Hubei, according to the meeting. Businesses outside Hubei are encouraged to create ways to make workplaces less populated or allow staff to take shifts to make production at full throttle. The shortage of machinery, staff or fund should be addressed through coordination to put the whole industry chain in normal operation, it said. Schools are asked to postpone start of new semester in an appropriate manner. Railway and civil aviation authorities should roll out measures for passengers to sit less densely during their trips back from holiday and avoid travel peak to reduce the risks of virus spreading, it said. Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and deputy head of the leading group, attended the meeting. ^ top ^

Chinese hospitals discharge 1,540 recovered patients of coronavirus infection (Xinhua)
2020-02-07
A total of 1,540 patients infected with the novel coronavirus had been discharged from hospital after recovery by the end of Thursday, Chinese health authorities announced Friday. Thursday saw 387 people walk out of the hospital after recovery (184 in Hubei), the National Health Commission said in its daily report. By the end of Thursday, a total of 636 people had died of the disease and 31,161 confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection had been reported in 31 provincial-level regions and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps in China. ^ top ^

Rural affairs top priority of document (China Daily)
2020-02-07
China's first policy document of the year contains scaled-up measures to ensure that the country can win the battle against poverty across the board and to strengthen weak links in rural areas, officials and experts said. This is the 17th consecutive year in which the document, issued annually by the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council, has focused on rural issues. The document, made public on Wednesday, said more forceful steps and meticulous measures will be adopted to resolve issues including compulsory education, healthcare, housing and drinking water in rural areas. Han Changfu, minister of agriculture and rural affairs, said the policy document makes clear that the government's top objective for agriculture and rural affairs this year is to lift all rural residents living below the current poverty line out of poverty and to strengthen weak links in rural areas. "It will be of paramount importance to stabilize the agricultural sector and harness the role of agriculture, rural areas and farmers' issues in the face of mounting risks and challenges at home and abroad and growing downward pressure on the economy," Han said in a statement after the release of the document. There are still about 3 million people in rural areas living below the poverty line this year and over 50 counties are still stuck in poverty. The country has already lifted over 95 million people out of poverty between the end of 2012 and the end of 2019. This year is the last in the country's campaign to lift all rural residents who live below the current poverty line out of poverty and to ensure that poverty is eliminated in all poor counties and regions. Another priority is to consolidate the outcomes from poverty alleviation efforts and to prevent people from once again falling below the poverty line, he said. "We need to guard the ground we have already conquered and conduct comprehensive troubleshooting to seal all the gaps. For those still near the poverty line, we need to adopt aid measures in time," Han said. The policy document came up with measures in eight aspects to strengthen weaknesses in infrastructure and public services in rural areas. The government will continue to prioritize efforts to lift the quality of education, improve healthcare services and bolster the level of social security in rural areas. The treatment of prominent problems in ecology and the environment in rural areas will also be prioritized. Han stressed that the government must respect the will of farmers during the process and avoid oversimplified and sweeping policies. The policy document also highlighted the importance of stabilizing grain production and restoring the country's hog herds. In ensuring food security, the country will diversify import channels, increase imports of agricultural products that meet domestic demand and adjust and improve a minimum-purchase-price system for rice and wheat, the document said. It called for local authorities to carry out various policies supporting hog production and cancel unreasonable curbs on pig farms. Zheng Fengtian, a professor of rural development at Renmin University of China, said the policy document showcased the government's intensified measures this year to eliminate poverty in rural areas. Local authorities must balance their ongoing efforts in curbing the novel coronavirus outbreak while encouraging farmers to stabilize agricultural production this farming season, he said. ^ top ^

Chinese scholar blames Xi Jinping, Communist Party for not controlling coronavirus outbreak (SCMP)
2020-02-06
A prominent Chinese scholar has published an article criticising the country's leadership for failing to control the coronavirus outbreak that has infected almost 25,000 people around the world. Xu Zhangrun, a law professor at Tsinghua University in Beijing, who has been under close surveillance by the authorities, blamed Communist Party leaders for putting politics ahead of the people in his strongly worded piece, which was published on several overseas Chinese-language websites this week. "The political system has collapsed under the tyranny, and a governance system [made up] of bureaucrats, which has taken [the party] more than 30 years to build has floundered," he said in a reference to how reform-minded leaders sought to rebuild the country and modernise the government after the death of Mao Zedong in 1976 and moved away from one-man rule to collective leadership. Xu was suspended from teaching at Tsinghua University in 2018, after the publication of an article in which he criticised the decision by party leaders to lift the two-term limit for presidents, allowing Xi Jinping to remain in office beyond his second term, which ends in 2023. His latest criticism came as China's leaders and law enforcement officials warned that internet controls must be tightened to prevent the spread of rumours and misinformation. On Monday, Xi chaired a meeting of the Politburo Standing Committee at which it was agreed that officials must maintain a tight grip on online media and direct public opinion about "winning the war over the virus". On Tuesday, the Ministry of Public Security held a meeting to remind all police officers that political security was of utmost importance in handling the outbreak. The police would "strike harshly" on any and all disruption by "hostile forces", according to a report by Xinhua. One of Xu's close friends confirmed on Wednesday that the professor had written the article. "He has already been stripped of his teaching position but he is likely to face more punishment this time," said the person, who asked not to be named. "We are concerned they [the police] will take him away now that he has published this article." Xu is currently prohibited from leaving the country and cannot publish his work freely in China. In his latest article he said Beijing had put officials' loyalty above competence, and filled the bureaucracy with mediocre cadres who had no motivation to perform well. "The mess in Hubei is only the tip of the iceberg and it's the same with every province," he said. During the early stages of the outbreak, China's authorities maintained tight control over the disclosure and sharing of information about the outbreak, and officials made repeated assurances to the public that there were no signs of human transmission of the coronavirus. But as the number of infections has soared, people have become increasingly angry and frustrated. Many have taken to social media to criticise officials, especially those in Hubei and Wuhan, for failing to publicise information about the outbreak and for mishandling the distribution of vital supplies to frontline doctors and nurses. Xu said also that Beijing's crackdown on civil society and freedom of expression had made it impossible for people to raise the alarm about the outbreak. "All chances of public discussions have been smothered, and so was the original alarm mechanism in society," he said in reference to the party's deletion of social media posts it deemed critical. Xu did not mention Xi by name but made use of some of the informal titles by which he is known, including "the core". Xu Zhangrun is not the only academic to speak out against Xi and his handling of the virus outbreak, which the World Health Organisation has declared a global health emergency. Prominent intellectual Xu Zhiyong also published an article on social media on Tuesday in which he urged Xi to step down for his "inability to handle major crises". He cited several examples, including the China-US trade war, the anti-government protests in Hong Kong and the coronavirus outbreak. He also called Xi's political ideology "confusing", his governance model "outdated" and said he had ruined China with "exhaustive social stability maintenance measures". "Seven years ago, I appealed to you to lead China to become a nation that respects democracy and the constitution, but in return I was thrown in jail for four years," he said. "And now, your men are still looking for me trying to throw me back in jail again. I don't think you are a villain, just someone who is not very smart. For the public's sake, I'm asking you again: Step down, Mr Xi Jinping." Despite his presence on social media, Xu Zhiyong has been in hiding from the police since December, following a year-long crackdown targeting civil rights dissidents that saw many people accused of inciting state subversion and detained. ^ top ^

Antiviral drug Remdesivir to be applied in clinical trials Thursday (Xinhua)
2020-02-06
The registration for clinical trials on the antiviral drug Remdesivir has been approved, and the first batch of pneumonia patients infected by the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) are expected to start taking the drug on Thursday, according to an official conference Wednesday. The approval is jointly supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), the National Health Commission and the National Medical Products Administration. Remdesivir is a drug developed by Gilead Sciences, an American pharmaceutical company, said Cao Bin, head of the drug's clinical trial program, at the conference held by the MOST at the Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, central China's Hubei Province. The drug has shown good antiviral activity against SARS and MERS coronavirus in previous cell and animal experiments. Its clinical trials against Ebola infections have been conducted abroad. In related domestic research, it has also shown fairly good antiviral activity against the 2019-nCoV at the cellular level, said Cao. A total of 761 patients have been enrolled in the trials, which will adopt a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study method. The trials, led by the China-Japan Friendship Hospital and the Institute of Materia Medica under the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS), will be conducted in several hospitals in Wuhan, including the Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital. Hopes have been pinned on the drug, but we have to wait for results of its actual effectiveness in the clinical trials, said Wang Chen, vice president of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and president of the CAMS. ^ top ^

Hong Kong protests spur increase in YouTube political commentary channels (SCMP)
2020-02-07
A growing number of personalities have taken to YouTube to share their views on Hong Kong news and politics since anti-government protests began last June. About a dozen have started their own programmes on the video-sharing digital platform, joining about 30 others who have been active since the pro-democracy Occupy protests shut down parts of the city for 79 days in 2014. The newcomers include Alan Leong Kah-kit, chairman of the pro-democracy Civic Party, as well as retired journalist Kwan Hing-ning and advertising industry employee Ivan Mok Ka-kit, a pro-establishment candidate who was defeated in last November's district council elections. Many have attracted a growing following, reflecting the demand for insights into the social unrest that has plagued Hong Kong for nearly eight months. "We've noted a huge demand for views of opinion leaders since the anti-government crisis started in June," said Lau Sai-leung, a writer who served as an adviser to the Central Policy Unit from 2006 to 2012. He started his online radio website, Singjai.com, in June 2014 but saw the audience for his current affairs programme, Loudzone, rise sharply over the past seven months. He puts out three episodes each week, and the number of hits for each episode peaked at nearly 300,000 last August and September. "Our subscribers on YouTube surged from 70,000 in June to 230,000 recently," said Lau, who supports the protest movement. He believes the growing interest in programmes like his reflects Hongkongers' hunger to make sense of events in the city. "For many Hong Kong people, what has been happening since June is something novel and unexpected," he said. "They look for online news commentary programmes to understand what is going on." Among the newcomers sharing their views online is Civic Party chairman Leong, who started his YouTube channel last July and has seen his following grow from about 80,000 hits last August to about 120,000 in early January. Retired journalist and veteran political commentator Kwan started his YouTube programme last November and saw the number of hits rise from several thousand initially to more than 50,000 last month. A former senior editor of regional Chinese-language news magazine Yazhou Zhoukan and editorial writer of the Oriental Press Group, he said: "I am well versed in politics in mainland China and Hong Kong and these are the major topics I deal with on my programme. I hope to give some insights and perspectives to my viewers." His episode on the appointment of Luo Huining as director of the central government's liaison office in Hong Kong scored more than 50,000 hits in December. "Viewers wanted to hear my views on why Luo replaced Wang Zhimin as Beijing's top envoy to Hong Kong in the first major leadership change since anti-government protests broke out in June," Kwan said. Alan Leong, who has been running his programme on a weekly basis, said: "It was good to have a platform that can reach out to audience, especially those in overseas." "I feel distinctly some local media platforms are playing certain distance from me on certain subjects. So my online programme can provide uncensored platform for me to share my thoughts," he said. Defeated election candidate Mok is a YouTuber with an unabashedly pro-government stance and has already attracted more than 66,000 subscribers. The 24-year-old started his programme in early December, and often uses it to criticise the pan-democratic camp and radical protesters for undermining the city's stability. "I hope to voice out alternative views to counter the YouTubers who support pan-democrats and protesters," Mok said. "I also criticised the government for its slow actions to contain the spread of Wuhan coronavirus," he said. Mok ran his programmes every day and collected nearly HK$3,000 in January. Joseph Chan Man, emeritus professor of journalism and communications at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said that in times of social unrest, people tend to seek explanations of current affairs. "They want something more than what is reported by traditional media outlets," he said. Finance sector consultant Gordon Poon tung-hoi, who started his YouTube programme in 2017 with three episodes a week, doubled his output after the protests began last June. He scores between 10,000 and 50,000 hits per episode. "Apart from current affairs in Hong Kong, I also talk about history and political concepts, such as the origin of totalitarianism," said Poon, who is sympathetic towards the pan-democrat camp. "I hope to educate my viewers so they will be better equipped if they take part in social movements." So far, the YouTube commentators say there is no big money to be made from sharing their views. Lau Sai-leung said his programme gets two or three online advertisements per episode if the hit rate exceeds 200,000 – and that has happened regularly since last August. "That brings about HK$1,200 for each episode," he said. "My programme has three episodes a week, so we have been collecting more than HK$14,000 per month." But Lau said the advertising revenue was not enough to cover the operation costs for his online radio website. He said a dozen viewers made regular donations, but he declined to disclose the amount. "Drawing a monthly income of several thousand dollars still sounds good if you have your own job and host online commentary programmes in your spare time," he said. Professor Francis Lee Lap-fung, director of the school of journalism and communication at Chinese University, said YouTubers who hope to attract ads have to show they can attract a big enough niche audience. "There are limits to growing online ad revenue for news commentary programmes which are not tied to any particular category in the consumer market," he said. "For advertisers, YouTube food or travel programmes may be better targets for placing their ads. ^ top ^

Coronavirus: Hongkongers in panic buying of rice, toilet paper and essentials as government stays mum on impending quarantine measures (SCMP)
2020-02-06
Anxious Hongkongers scrambled on Thursday to stock up on essentials over fears that border restrictions to contain the coronavirus would choke off supplies, while the government provided scant details on the mandatory quarantine taking effect in less than 36 hours on arrivals from mainland China. As long queues formed at shops all over the city for the second straight day and people jostled to grab toilet and tissue paper, as well as rice and perishables, food suppliers sought to assure the public there was no need for hoarding. "There is absolutely no need to panic buy. We have always worked to ensure a stable supply of food and all these years, throughout all sorts of big events, we have never had a shortage," Thomas Ng Wing-yan, chairman of the Hong Kong Food Council, told a press conference. The fears, fed by online rumours, mounted when the government announced on Wednesday it would impose a 14-day quarantine on anyone entering from mainland China, sparking concerns that supplies would also be held up. But while the government said it would reveal more on the quarantine measures on Thursday, the day ended with no information forthcoming, as sources told the Post that Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor was still locked in meetings over facilities and details on implementation. Even as they gave assurances, representatives of rice, pork, egg, seafood, poultry and fruit-and-vegetable merchants urged the government to exempt cross-border truck drivers from the 14-day quarantine set to kick in on Saturday, to avert any delays in supplies reaching the city. Separately, amid a week-long strike by public hospital workers now into its fourth day, the Hospital Authority said about 5,000 employees, including some 220 doctors and 3,000 nurses, had not reported for duty. A meeting between the authority and representatives from strike organiser the Hospital Authority Employees Alliance ended in mixed results as both sides gave different accounts of the talks. By Thursday, more than 28,200 people had been diagnosed with the virus worldwide, mostly on the mainland, with the death toll at more than 560. Locally, there were three more cases of infection, raising the total to 24, as leading microbiologist Yuen Kwok-yung declared the city to be in the throes of a community outbreak. One case was a 55-year-old Hong Kong woman, the wife of a man confirmed as infected a day earlier, Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan, head of the communicable diseases branch of the Centre for Health Protection, told a press conference. The infected couple were in Japan between January 28 and February 1. The two other cases did not travel in the 14 days before they fell ill. One is a 65-year-old woman admitted to Prince of Wales Hospital in Sha Tin in a serious condition. A resident of Shek Mun Estate in the district, she had underlying illnesses and developed fever and cough on January 28. She visited a private doctor on January 29 and February 1, and was sent to hospital on February 5. The other case is a 63-year-old woman, who started to cough on January 26 and visited a private doctor on February 5, when she was referred to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital in Chai Wan. She was reported to be in a stable condition. At the daily briefing, Chuang said there were at least six family clusters of infected patients. "That means that transmission of the virus within a family is very high," she added. Chuang said six of the confirmed cases were possibly infected locally. "The ratio is getting higher. We are worried the local spread will get more serious," she said. Earlier in the day, Professor Yuen of the University of Hong Kong noted that nearly a third of the cases had no travel history related to the coronavirus. "The local transmission chain has begun, and if we do nothing to control it, Hong Kong will become like some mainland city that has suffered lots of cases," he warned. Yuen added that all measures must be taken to break the chain of a local spread, noting that transmission of the virus had proved to be very efficient, similar to seasonal flu. "Many people blamed me earlier for exaggerating the situation previously, but what I said was based on scientific facts," he said. "Once we have a bigger outbreak, even if you do not close the border, the city will be isolated [by others]. It would be too late then." While no word came from the government, executive councillor Lam Ching-choi said authorities were thinking of asking returning Hongkongers to self-quarantine at home. He also said non-locals, including mainlanders, could be quarantined in their own hotel rooms or government facilities. "We can accept it if they are staying in hotels, and hotel employees can even help us to see if they obey the [quarantine] order," Lam said. "They can call police if the visitors run away." But the government adviser admitted there might not be adequate quarantine facilities, adding officials were rushing to find new locations such as hotels or holiday camps. A source familiar with the government's position said mainland travellers would have to bear the cost of extending their hotel stay for the full two weeks. "For those mainlanders who haven't booked hotel rooms in Hong Kong, the government will put them in quarantine centres," he said, adding they would not be charged for that stay, but would have to foot the bill for medical expenses, according to existing policy. While the virus threat had triggered panic across much of Hong Kong for surgical masks, the anxiety extended midweek to other items being cleared from supermarket shelves. But Kenneth Chan Kin-nin, chairman of the Rice Merchants' Association of Hong Kong, said rice was in ample supply, adding that 90 per cent of it came from Thailand and Vietnam. "The supply of rice is regulated by the government and we still have 13,000 tonnes in storage, which are yet to be used," he said. The traders said food supply would be completely cut off if truck drivers were also put under the 14-day quarantine, warning there would not be enough replacement manpower. But a source told the Post that cross-border truck drivers would be exempted precisely to guarantee the supply of food and other goods to the city. "It's groundless to say that food will run into short supply in Hong Kong after the implementation of the new measures," he said. Food Council chairman Ng said traders were more than happy to comply with increased measures to prevent contagion, such as temperature checks for drivers at customs and additional disinfection of truck wheels and containers. "While these measures would delay checks by about 15 minutes, we will make sure consumers do not bear that cost," he said. President of the Pork Traders General Association of Hong Kong Hui Wai-kin similarly vowed to ensure a stable supply of the meat. The amount of seafood stocks from Guangdong province had dropped, as the Chinese government mandated that fishermen returning to work after the Lunar New Year holiday self-quarantine for 14 days. The order would be effective until February 9, said Lee Choi Wah, chairman of the Hong Kong Chamber of Seafood Merchants. "But we have more than enough supply from Southeast Asia, where seafood is cheaper." Lawmaker Peter Shiu Ka-fai, who represents the wholesale and retail sectors, said: "While wholesale prices have not increased, we hope individual retailers will keep their prices reasonable." He urged people not to store food for too long, as even items such as rice could go bad. But those lining up were not persuaded, with many joining queues not knowing what they were for. Apart from rice and paper, sanitary and baby napkins were also being snapped up, along with condoms. Paul Yip Siu-fai, chair professor in social work and social administration at HKU, said people were "taking matters into their own hands" by stocking up on goods because the government had not shown it was in command of the situation. "Throughout this outbreak the government has been in its own echo chamber rather than in communication with the people," Yip said. He called for a dedicated television channel to provide information about the coronavirus and debunk rumours. Among those left anxious was clerk Henry Lui, 29. He was at ParknShop International in Sai Ying Pun on a failed mission to buy toilet paper, to add to the two rolls he had left at home. He had gone to four other stores before that. "I feel very helpless," he said, lugging a box of instant noodles. "Housewives have incredible shopping power." In the medical sector, the Hospital Authority's chief manager of cluster performance, Dr Ian Cheung Tsz-fung, thanked some strikers who came back to help out at a neonatal unit for a limited period following appeals. On Thursday's talks with the strike organiser, Hospital Authority director Tony Ko Pak-sing described the vibe as "good", adding that both sides shared some similar goals. But Hospital Authority Employees Alliance chairwoman Winnie Yu Wai-ming expressed her "utter disappointment", saying Ko's side had beat around the bush with no solid details on how equipment could be replaced in the face of a shortage. "Even a promise as simple as no retaliation [against the strikes] could have been made," she said, adding that both sides would meet again on Friday. If no agreement is reached, Yu said, members would vote again after Friday on whether to continue the action. ^ top ^

Taiwan halts visas for Hong Kong and Macau citizens as coronavirus deaths reach 565 globally (SCMP)
2020-02-06
Daily deaths caused by the new coronavirus have reached another record level in China, with 73 fatalities confirmed in figures released by health authorities on Thursday morning, taking the country's death toll to 563. The number of new infections in mainland China and the total within its central province of Hubei – the outbreak's epicentre – both fell on Wednesday compared with the day before. There were 3,694 additional cases in the country and 2,987 in Hubei, national and provincial health authorities announced on Thursday morning. The last time the rise in new infection figures slowed was January 28, after the daily increase in confirmed cases again rose on Tuesday – 3,887 in China, of which 3,156 were in Hubei. There have been 565 confirmed deaths worldwide from the coronavirus since it first emerged at the end of December, and it has sickened more than 28,000. Taiwan said on Thursday that it would suspend its online and landing visa services indefinitely for Hong Kong and Macau citizens, while non-citizens of Hong Kong and Macau with a history of travel to mainland China, Hong Kong or Macau are also to be barred from visiting. "Beginning [midnight Thursday], we will suspend online and landing visa application services" until further notice, announced Chiu Chui-cheng, vice-chairman of Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council, which sets the island's policies towards mainland China. Those with an urgent need to visit Taiwan need to apply to the self-governed island's representative offices in Hong Kong or Macau with proof of not having travelled to mainland China in the previous 14 days, Chiu said. The latest restriction of entry for people from those cities since the outbreak spread was necessary to protect Taiwanese people, Chiu said. Taiwan has raised its alert level for travel to Hong Kong and Macau to Level 2, indicating a potential risk; the highest alert is Level 3, advising against visiting unless strictly necessary. Taiwan's Centres for Disease Control (CDC) had previously said that, beginning on Friday, people arriving from Hong Kong and Macau had to conduct home or hotel quarantine for 14 days after landing. Hong Kong and Macau citizens who already had valid Taiwan entry permits issued before Friday can still enter the island but must fulfil the 14 days' quarantine. "Several community-transmitted cases with unknown origin have occurred in Hong Kong, indicating the possibility of an invisible chain of infection," the Taiwan CDC said. "A worker in the gambling industry in Macau has been diagnosed with coronavirus infection, indicating a second wave of infection in Macau." Taiwan has banned all cruise ships from docking at its ports, regardless of whether they have visited Hong Kong, Macau or mainland China after a Taiwanese woman was found to have been infected on a Japanese cruise ship. The woman was among 20 people on board the ship to have tested positive for the coronavirus infection. About 1,000 tourists disembarked from the ship, for a day trip to Taipei and New Taipei City, when it anchored at the northern port of Keelung on January 31, according to Taiwanese immigration authorities. Taiwan's Tourism Bureau said tours to Hong Kong and Macau would be suspended until February 29. Taiwan reported two more cases of confirmed coronavirus infection on Thursday, bringing the total number to 13, as its first patient was discharged from hospital after making a full recovery. One of the new cases is a 40-year-old man who visited Wuhan on January 17 and developed symptoms a day after his return to Taiwan on February 2. The second is a 20-year-old woman who worked in Wuhan and returned to Taiwan on February 1, Health Minister Chen Shih-chung said. The woman was hospitalised on February 4 and was confirmed to have been infected on Thursday, he said. Chen said the 55-year-old woman who had previously tested positive for the virus had been escorted home by anti-epidemic team members after she was discharged from hospital on Thursday. Mainland media reported on Thursday that the outbreak could prompt China to consider triggering a disaster-related clause in the trade deal it signed with the United States last month. Global Times, a nationalist tabloid affiliated to Communist Party mouthpiece People's Daily, quoted an unnamed Chinese trade expert close to the government as saying a decision on launching a consultation with the US on the disaster clause was unlikely until the end of the first quarter. In a commentary published on Wednesday, the newspaper said: "The phase one agreement clearly stated that the two parties would consult with each other, 'in the event that a natural disaster or other unforeseeable event outside the control of the parties delays a party from timely complying with its obligations under this agreement'. Without doubt the epidemic fits this scenario." Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said she had no information on the disaster-related clause. China announced on Thursday that it would halve some of the tariffs it imposed on American products late last year. Health authorities in Hubei reported 70 new deaths, a daily record, and 2,987 newly confirmed cases as of Thursday. This brings the totals announced by the province's health commission to 549 and 19,665, respectively. Officials in Hubei had reported 65 fatalities and 3,156 newly confirmed cases on Tuesday. Some 1,766 of the new cases announced on Thursday were confirmed in Hubei's capital of Wuhan, where the virus is believed to have originated at a seafood and meat market. Health officials are racing to develop treatments and testing methods for the virus. Wuhan, ground zero of the outbreak, launched an emergency test laboratory on Wednesday. The Huo Yan Laboratory is designed to handle 10,000 samples each day to detect the virus. The lab is now under trial operation. It is expected to significantly increase the speed of virus testing so that suspected infections can be quickly detected and diagnosed. Experimental drug remdesivir moved closer to being approved for treatment as a stage-three clinical trial for the antiviral medication started in Wuhan on Thursday. Led by teams from the China-Japan Friendship Hospital and Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, the trial was set to involve 761 patients, of whom 308 had mild to average symptoms and 453 were in serious condition. Remdesivir was developed by US-based Gilead Sciences to treat Ebola but has been repurposed to treat the new coronavirus. It has not been approved by any country. Gilead Sciences has agreed with China's ministry of health to fully support clinical trials, including providing the drug for free to use in the trials, according to Beijing-based media group Caixin. The first coronavirus patient in the US was treated with remdesivir and his condition improved, according to his doctors in a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine last week. China has taken unprecedented measures to curb the spread of the virus, including travel restrictions for most of Hubei province, which has a population of more than 50 million. The travel lockdown and other orders have stirred debate globally over whether such steps would be effective and worthwhile relative to the disruption they pose for local residents and the economy. At a recent meeting of the Communist Party's inner circle, the Politburo Standing Committee, President Xi Jinping said local officials would be punished severely if they failed to heed Beijing's orders to stop the virus from spreading. ^ top ^

Stock rally amid epidemic refutes slander (Global Times)
2020-02-07
Chinese stock markets have rallied for three consecutive days amid the country's fight against the 2019 novel coronavirus, which experts said has clearly refuted malicious and unfounded attacks on China's economic and financial sectors by some Western scholars and media. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) recently published an article titled "China is the Real Sick Man of Asia." The article, written by US scholar Walter Russell Mead, is full of aggressive, slanderous sentiment. For example, it claimed the coronavirus epidemic in China has the country's financial markets "shuddering," saying a "massive financial collapse" is likely following the epidemic. It also noted that China's financial markets are "probably more dangerous in the long run than China's wildlife markets." Chinese financial experts refuted the WSJ article as a "severe distortion of facts." "That article is certainly not describing China's financial markets in an honest way," said Zhao Xijun, a vice president of the School of Finance under the Renmin University of China. Chinese stock markets have rallied for three consecutive days following a sharp decline on Monday, the first trading day after the Spring Festival holiday. The ChiNext board, also known as China's Nasdaq, has managed to hit new highs after a three-day rally. On Thursday, it rose by 3.74 percent to 2,012.25 points. The board stood at 1,927.74 points on the last trading day before the Lunar New Year holidays. The two bourses in Shanghai and Shenzhen have also skyrocketed in recent days despite news of the disease. On Thursday, the Shanghai market was up 1.72 percent while the Shenzhen market climbed 2.87 percent. Most commodity futures, including crude oil, glass and eggs also secured rises above 2 percent on Thursday. "The market mood has been quickly shifting from panic to confidence as investors employ more rational judgment about the impact of the epidemic after observing China's timely and painstaking response," said Zhao. Experts also clarified that a virus-triggered "financial collapse" is only prejudicial conjecture from certain Western media. "How can China's stock markets collapse with much lower valuations compared with US' shares and rapid corporate growth?" asked financial observer Zhao Qingming. He said the epidemic would bring about losses for some domestic companies, but they represent a limited portion of the country's general economy. "The temporary development of the epidemic has not changed China's general economic trend. And judging by the solid rebound, market investors have realized that," he said. Zhao Qingming also anticipated that the government is likely to kick start a new round of investment in public construction after the epidemic, which would help the economy recover. The experts also clarified that though China's financial sectors did present some problems in the past, most have already been resolved under tough top-down management. The WSJ article cited several of China's financial risks including accumulated lending costs, property bubble and vast industrial overcapacity. "The mentioned problems are now well within the safety line," said Zhao Qingming. China eliminated about 110 million tons of excessive coal capacity in 2019, according to media reports. ^ top ^

Govt unveils policies to aid outbreak-hit SMEs (China Daily)
2020-02-07
China's local governments are introducing a number of supportive measures to help small and medium-sized enterprises cope with the impact of the novel coronavirus outbreak. More than 10 provincial or city-level governments have rolled out policies since Sunday that focus on financial support and burden reduction to ease the pressure on SMEs from the economic impact of the virus, such as offering fast-track loans with lower interest rates and delaying social security contributions. Experts said such actions are able to help stabilize SMEs' daily operations to ensure employment and safeguard economic vitality, which is a common practice in developed economies. "SMEs are a major force in the Chinese economy for employment, tax revenue and exports, but they are relatively more susceptible to challenges caused by the epidemic, due to their vulnerable resource accessibility and operational flexibility," said Zhou Mi, a senior researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation. "The new measures many local governments have adopted can boost SMEs' ability to cope with the impact in a number of ways by reducing their operating costs and ensuring the financial and public services the SMEs urgently need." Suzhou, Jiangsu province, introduced 10 measures on Sunday to enhance financing channels and efficiency, cut taxes and fees, and stabilize employment for SMEs. Local banks are asked to set aside special loan programs with lower loan interest rates for SMEs affected by the virus outbreak. Enterprises that do not lay off employees will have 50 percent of the unemployment insurance contributions they paid last year reimbursed to them by the government. Qualified SMEs are also permitted to delay or reduce payments of land use tax, property tax, social security insurance programs and rent due to State-owned properties. Governments in many other regions, including Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing as well as Shandong and Hainan provinces, have been introducing similar policies. The Beijing municipal government decided to provide subsidies for rent, daily maintenance costs and product research and development subsidies to qualified SMEs, as well as special subsidies to landlords that offer rent reductions to SME tenants. The city is also providing a notary service and legal consultation for SMEs affected by the epidemic. Zhou suggested that new technologies, such as remote collaborative office software and e-government applications, should also be taken into consideration by policymakers. Thus, SMEs could sustain and even enhance their operational efficiency to better cope with capped flows of personnel and production materials, he said. Ao Yanjie, chairman of Beijing Union Smart Energy Co, an SME with 10 employees in the decentralized integrated energy sector, said he is looking forward to the actual effects of the government's supportive measures for SMEs. "A reduction in tax and rents is helpful, but what matters most to us is that policies facilitating SMEs' financing will be implemented," he said. "Our company has built up a reputation among customers and investors, but the epidemic has disrupted the normal financing and cash flows of startups like us, and we really need help for easy and quick financing from either banks, investors or special SME fundraising programs." ^ top ^

China would expect an economic rebound in the second half of 2020: expert (People's Daily)
2020-02-06
The recent outbreak of the new coronavirus in China has raised concerns about the development of the disease and its impact on China and the global economy. Stephen Roach, a senior fellow at the Jackson School of Management at Yale University and a former chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia, told the People's Daily that the Chinese government has enough monetary and fiscal space to deal with the economic impact of the outbreak and he expects an economic rebound in the second half of the year. China's Central Bank pumped 400 billion yuan (about $57 billion) into the banking system on Feb 4, after an injection of 1.2 trillion yuan into the system via reverse repos on Feb 3. Roach said the Central Bank's move significantly demonstrates determination and commitment to address financial anxiety caused by the outbreak, and also provides an important liquidity backstop for banks that have been hit hard by disruptions in commercial and industrial activity, at a time of exceptional preparedness and containment. Roach also noted, however, that the Central Bank's efforts to inject liquidity into the market were necessary but not sufficient to deal with the growing pressures of the current outbreak. "At the same time, control of the rapidly spreading 2019-nCov disease is less a task for the Central Bank and more a responsibility of China's public health authorities. Curtailment of inter-city travel, coupled with multi-city quarantines in Hubei Province and rapid construction of two new virus-dedicated hospitals in Wuhan, are likely to be far more effective at prevention and control of this virulent disease," Roach said. On Feb 3, the IMF and World Bank issued statements that China has sufficient fiscal and monetary space to cope with the economic downturn caused by the outbreak and expressed confidence in the resilience of the Chinese economy. Roach agrees, arguing that China has ample fiscal and monetary policy ammunition to deal with downside risks, whether from the coronavirus outbreak, the early impact of the first phase of the China-US trade conflict or more than three years of deleveraging. Roach said it is difficult to predict with any accuracy the short-term and medium-term impact of the outbreak on the Chinese economy. Just before the outbreak, the latest data on the Chinese economy, such as the Purchasing Managers' Index for January, were actually fairly stable. But now, a combination of strict segregation of Chinese cities and travel restrictions in some countries has hit economic activity. For now, the problem with countercyclical stimulus is that the Chinese economy lacks a vigorous growth cushion that would enable these policy actions to be most effective. He cites the impact on the economy after the SARS outbreak in early 2003. SARS hit the Chinese economy hardest in the second and third quarters of that year, reducing nominal gross domestic product growth by about 2 percentage points from 13.4 percent in the second quarter of 2003 to 11.5 percent in the third quarter. The short-term downside risks to growth are all the more worrying because China's economy is now growing much more slowly than it did that year, and GDP growth slowed to 6 percent by the end of 2019 before the new coronavirus hit. "The logic of the lack of a growth buffer also applies to the world economy," Roach added. According to the IMF's latest estimates, the world economy grew by just 2.9 percent in 2019. That is just 0.4 percentage points above the 2.5 percent threshold for a global recession, which is likely to heighten financial market fears. And many multinational companies, such as Ford, Apple, Siemens, Honda, McDonald's and Disney plan to suspend operations in China, so further downward pressure has weakened the global manufacturing, retail, entertainment and travel industries. Moreover, industrial activity in other economies, from East Asia, Latin America and North America to Europe, could be severely damaged as China plays a key role in many global supply chain centers. Roach believes that, as with SARS 17 years ago, any coronavirus-related damage is likely to be temporary, followed by a sharp economic rebound. After the SARS outbreak in early 2003, nominal GDP growth rebounded sharply in late 2003 and early 2004, accelerating by about 4 percentage points over the next four quarters to 15.3 percent (q3-q4). "Assuming the outbreak control measures in the next 2-3 months, China's combination of monetary and fiscal stimulus, coupled with rapid public health policy reforms, would ensure a rebound and recovery in the second half of 2020," he said. The public health component is particularly important to highlight China's commitment not to allow such outbreaks to happen again, he added. ^ top ^

What would a North Korean nuclear submarine mean for US and its allies? (SCMP)
2020-02-06
Kim Jong-un has spent much of his time as North Korea's leader developing bigger and more advanced nuclear weapons. This year, he may try to make them harder to find by putting them under the sea. Recent North Korean reports touting a new submarine and its test of a ballistic missile designed to be launched from one have fuelled speculation that a sub may be the "new strategic weapon" Kim promised to unveil this year. While such a vessel would probably be noisy and unable to stray far from the coast without being tracked, it may be enough to serve Kim's needs. Even one submarine lurking off the Korean peninsula, beyond the gaze of spy satellites, would give US military planners a dangerous new threat to consider in the event of any conflict. And for Kim, anything that makes it harder for the US to imagine an actual war, brings him closer to a goal that alluded his father: international recognition as a nuclear state. "In terms of war planning, the US, South Korea, and Japan need to take the undersea nuclear threat seriously and plan for anti-submarine warfare contingencies," said Ankit Panda, an adjunct senior fellow at the Federation of American Scientists and author of the upcoming book Kim Jong-un and the Bomb: Survival and Deterrence in North Korea. Kim has kept the world guessing since pledging in a December 31 speech to build a more powerful nuclear deterrent. Although a "strategic weapon" could include everything from advanced intercontinental ballistic missiles to multiple warhead payloads and more powerful atomic bombs, the secretive regime has publicly said it was making "big efforts" to expand its missile-carrying submarine fleet. Launching a nuclear-weapons capable sub would provide the clearest illustration yet of Kim's efforts to bolster his arsenal despite President Donald Trump's June 2018 assertion that North Korea "no longer" posed a nuclear threat. Even before agreeing with Trump to "work toward complete denuclearisation", Kim had demonstrated his ability to build hydrogen bombs and missiles capable of carrying them to any city in the US. A flurry of shorter-range missile tests last year showed the regime has since made progress toward developing solid-fuel rockets that are easier to hide, faster to deploy and harder to intercept. Among those was a submarine-launched ballistic missile that flew 910km (565 miles) into space on October 2, giving it an estimated horizontal range of about 1,900km (1,181 miles). That could put all of South Korea and Japan – together home to about 170 million people including some 80,000 US troops – in range of a submarine hidden off North Korea's eastern coast. There, a vessel could hide among others from the country's fleet of 60 to 80 smaller submarines, leaving the allies unsure which, if any, are nuclear armed. North Korea sent out a fresh reminder that it's ready for conflict with Japan, warning its mortal enemy in a state media report late on Tuesday that "it will fall into the abyss of ruin" if it tries to flex its military might. Vice Admiral Jon Hill, the head of the US Missile Defence Agency, expressed confidence in the allies' ability to counter a nuclear-armed submarine after the latest SLBM test. "We need to keep an eye on it and continue to assess that to make sure the architecture's in place to deal with it," Hill told a Centre for Strategic & International Studies gathering in October. North Korea has already teased the construction of a submarine that may be able to carry the new missile, publishing photos in July of Kim inspecting a large vessel under construction. The photos appeared to show a modified version of the diesel-electric Romeo-class vessels that comprise about one-third of the Korean People's Navy fleet, said Joseph Dempsey, a London-based research associate for defence and military analysis at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. North Korea acquired seven Romeo-class submarines from China in the mid-1970s and began producing them domestically from kits until 1995, according to a study by the Nuclear Threat Initiative. The newer version appears to have an enlarged "sail" – the highest part of the vessel – to accommodate about three missile launch tubes, Dempsey said. North Korea was thought to have been developing another, more advanced submarine that weapons experts have dubbed the Sinpo C. So far, analysts haven't been able to confirm its existence using publicly available sources such as state-run media reports or satellite images. The modified Romeo design demonstrates North Korea's commitment to exploiting the limited material it can acquire under strict international sanctions to offset the military advantages of its much wealthier rivals in South Korea and the US The country's submarine fleet – among the world's largest – has long been a key part of that strategy. Most of North Korea's submarines are smaller craft "designed to disrupt sea lanes, lay mines, attack surface vessels, and assist special operations units' infiltration," according to a white paper from South Korea's Defence Ministry. Seoul blamed such a vessel for firing a torpedo that sank its corvette Cheonan in 2010, killing 46 – a claim denied by North Korea. That's a very different mission than the US Navy's much larger nuclear-powered Virginia-class attack submarine, which can sit quietly submerged off an enemy's coast until its time to launch missiles from its dozen launch tubes. North Korea's Navy doesn't need to venture so far, be as stealthy or carry as many weapons. "The scenario of a North Korean submarine creeping out into the Pacific with a nuclear-capable ballistic missile on board might capture the imagination, but it has little basis in reality," said Panda, of the Federation of American Scientists. The real value in a nuclear-armed submarine may be in its potential to strengthen Kim's position in negotiations with the US Each advance toward a more credible nuclear weapon raises the costs of any American-led military action and reduces Washington's leverage toward eliminating – rather than reducing or capping – his nuclear arsenal. North Korea sees its submarine as an underwater complement to the land-based missile transporters that it has demonstrated with increasing effectiveness in recent years, said Dempsey, of the International Institute for Strategic Studies. They just need another platform to divide the attention of US and South Korean military commanders. "For the purposes of providing an initial at-sea nuclear capability, this approach could be sufficient," Dempsey said. "All they need to do is avoid being detected," he said, "so they can launch their missile." ^ top ^

North Korea ramps up mask output in battle for 'national survival' against coronavirus (SCMP)
2020-02-05
North Korea has increased production of surgical masks after shutting its borders to all foreign tourists, as the death toll from a coronavirus outbreak rose to nearly 500 on Wednesday. Factories in Pyongyang were producing tens of thousands of masks every day to meet the growing demand, as part of an effort to prevent an outbreak in the country, according to the official Rodong newspaper. "As a result of the stepped-up hygiene promotion campaign, all citizens have become more aware [of the danger] and actively participate in efforts to prevent an outbreak of the infectious disease by frequently ventilating their homes, washing their hands and wearing masks," the newspaper said. Last month, North Korea blocked all foreign tourists from entering amid fears of the spread of the virus first detected in central China. Pyongyang tightened its quarantine measures in a response the media described as a matter of "national survival". According to data released on Wednesday by China's National Health Commission (NHC), the number of confirmed cases rose by 3,887 – a daily record high – to 24,324, most of which were in Hubei province, the epicentre of the outbreak. The latest fatalities took the death toll in China to 492. North Korea has yet to confirm any cases, but the paper suggested that there may be some suspected infections. "Officials are stationed for those quarantined in [Kangwon province] and measures are being drawn up to ensure that they are receiving protective clothes and medical items, such as masks," Rodong said. Kangwon is an eastern province in the Korean peninsula, one that is divided by the border with South Korea. North Korea has been reportedly implementing "hygiene propaganda projects" aimed at preventing the spread of the virus. Pyongyang asked South Korea to suspend the operation of the inter-Korean liaison office in Kaesong, as a precautionary measure. North Korea recently announced the launch of a national emergency system to cope with the virus, calling such preventive efforts a "political matter" that could determine the fate of the country. Meanwhile, South Korea was pushing for cooperation with North Korea, as it wanted to help Pyongyang stem the spread of the virus across the border. Seoul has confirmed 18 cases of coronavirus, Yonhap news agency said. "The government's stance is that it is necessary to cooperate between the South and the North in blocking and coping with the spread of an infectious disease," Yoh Sang-key, the unification ministry's spokesman, said. ^ top ^

US Triton drones deployed to Guam for surveillance over China, North Korea (SCMP)
2020-02-03
The United States Navy has deployed two MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft to the US island territory of Guam, the first time the drones have been positioned in the Pacific, in a bid to step up Washington's surveillance capabilities in the region. The two Tritons are part of Unmanned Patrol Squadron (VUP) 19 and will be joined by two more drones in the coming weeks, the US Navy said. "The inaugural deployment of [the Tritons] brings enhanced capabilities and a broad increase in maritime domain awareness to our forward fleet commanders," said Rear Admiral Peter Garvin, commander of the Navy's Patrol and Reconnaissance Group, in a statement. "VUP19, the Navy's first dedicated [unmanned aircraft systems] squadron … is superbly trained and ready to provide the persistent [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance] coverage the Navy needs." The Tritons, which will be operated from Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, can remain airborne for more than 24 hours and have an operational ceiling of 16km and a range of more than 13,000km. The vehicle's range and endurance mean a Triton is able to monitor a vast swathe of the Western Pacific, including the region's busy shipping lanes. Beijing and Pyongyang are some 4,000km and 3,400km from Guam respectively. Garren Mulloy, professor of international relations at Japan's Daito Bunka University, said the deployment appeared to be primarily to provide additional maritime surveillance capabilities to US forces confronting security threats posed by North Korea and China, though he confirmed Tritons are capable of carrying out missions over land as well. "Given the situation with North Korea and China, it is not a surprise that these systems are being deployed to the Asia-Pacific region," he said. "These will be able to change the way the US obtains key information, thanks to their range and long endurance capabilities." The Triton "will deliver maritime surveillance data across a huge area" and will be able to monitor the likes of ship-to-ship transfers involving North Korean merchant ships, which are banned under international sanctions on Pyongyang. The fact that Washington's most capable unmanned drones have been deployed to the Western Pacific is significant in itself, Mulloy added. "Everyone knows that the US has these systems but it's what they do with them that will make everyone else sit up and take notice," he said.. ^ top ^

Health Minister meets Chinese Ambassador (Montsame)
2020-02-06
The Ministry of Health of Mongolia requested the Chinese side to involve Mongolian physicians in the training on palliative nursing, emergency assistance and pathology in China this year. This issue was spoken during yesterday's meeting of the Health Minister D.Sarangerel with Ambassador-designate of the People's Republic of China to Mongolia Chai Wenrui. They exchanged views on cooperation issues, including strengthening human resources in the health sectors of the two countries, introducing advanced medical technology, co-implementing joint projects, and sharing experiences as well as others. In 2015-2018, a total of 74 physicians of Mongolia attended the training on maternal and child health, neurology, cardiovascular diseases, nursing, traditional medicine, and communicable diseases in China. In 2019, a total of 80 physicians; 30 attended the training on tuberculosis, 25 – on cardiovascular diseases, and 25 – on sexually transmitted infections. This year's training will be conducted in the Mongolian language, which is believed to boost the benefits and outcome of the training. Within the cooperation, about 100 young children, including babies with severe congenital heart defects, which are not yet treatable in Mongolia, have been involved in free surgeries at major hospitals in Beijing and Hohhot, China. A project 'E-health' is one of the significant investment projects. Within the project, 112 hospitals and health organizations will be provided with IT equipment and 'e-health' software, aiming to connect the medical software of these organizations and integrate them into the National Data Center. ^ top ^

Train travel in route Beijing-UB-Moscow cancelled from today by the request of Russia (Montsame)
2020-02-06
Officials of the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Road and Transport Development (MRTD), the General Agency for Specialized Inspection and the National Police Agency today held press briefing on current condition of coronavirus infection and measures for prevention of coronavirus infection. Head of Monitoring, Inspection, Evaluation and Internal Audit Department of the MRTD Enkhbold reported that three flights, which are planned to be operated on January 28, 29 and 30, twenty flights to be conducted in February and another two flights in March, 2020 have been cancelled. Train is traveling to the People's Republic of China everyday except Sunday. Moreover, train travels NO 3 and NO 4 in route Beijing-Ulaanbaatar-Moscow have been stopped beginning from today, February 6 by the request of the Russian Federation. Officials also warned Mongolian passengers not to travel to China through airways and railroads. If the citizen has urgent necessity to travel, it is required to get permission from the General Authority for Border Protection. ^ top ^

Consultation held between foreign ministries of Mongolia and Kuwait (Montsame)
2020-02-05
The second consultative meeting of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia and the State of Kuwait took place in Kuwait on February 4. At the meeting co-chaired by D.Davaasuren, State Secretary at the Mongolian Foreign Ministry and Ali Suleiman Al Saeed, Assistant Foreign Minister for Asian Affairs at the Foreign Ministry of Kuwait, the sides thoroughly discussed the current state of bilateral relations and cooperation and exchanged views on the visits and events that are to take place between the two countries in the near future. The Mongolian side expressed its readiness to host the next meeting of the Mongolia-Kuwait Intergovernmental Commission. The two sides talked about the progress of the construction of National Burn Center of Mongolia and Undurkhaan airport renovation that are underway with funding from the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development and unanimously underlined that the countries have to start infrastructure and humanitarian projects crucial to the social and economic development of Mongolia. They noted the importance of increasing the opportunities for expanding bilateral trade and economic cooperation, establishing direct cooperation between national chambers of commerce and industry, and deepening partnerships between private companies of the two countries. Also, Mongolia invited high-ranking officials of Kuwait and representatives of the country's chamber of commerce and industry to the World Export Development Forum to be hosted by Mongolia in August 2020 under the auspices of the President of Mongolia. Moreover, the sides stressed that the intensification of bilateral cooperation in tourism, culture, and education require attention from both countries and agreed to finalize and sign document on cultural cooperation program and an agreement on tourism cooperation in the near future. Views were also exchanged on the possibilities of developing cooperation between the National University of Mongolia and Kuwait University, carrying out joint research projects, and giving Mongolian students scholarships to universities of Kuwait. The sides then discussed regional and international issues of common interest such as expansion of cooperation within the United Nations and other regional and international organizations, in particular, the Gulf Cooperation Council.
On the same day, State Secretary D.Davaasuren met with Kuwait's Information Minister and State Minister for Youth H.E. Mohammad Abdullah Al-Jabri to discuss bilateral media cooperation. They talked about organizing Mongolian cultural days in Kuwait on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Mongolia and Kuwait which falls this year and the Kuwaiti side said the Ministry of Information will provide full support in successfully organizing the event. The sides emphasized that the journalist exchange program underway since 2018 has given a great opportunity to promote the two countries and agreed to continue it. ^ top ^

Jennia Jin
Embassy of Switzerland