Coronavirus: Xi's Wuhan visit sends positive signal in virus battle

In a symbolic move signalling a watershed in the country's two-month battle with the coronavirus, Chinese President Xi Jinping made a visit to the epicentre of the outbreak yesterday.

Mr Xi's inspection tour came as Wuhan shut all 16 of its makeshift hospitals and Hubei announced it was lifting some restrictions on people's movements within the beleaguered province.

The number of infections has fallen dramatically in the past week, tumbling to double-digit daily figures since last Friday. At the height of the epidemic early last month, China was registering over 3,000 infected cases a day.

Yesterday, the National Health Commission said it recorded a low of 19 new cases - all from Wuhan except two that were imported - on Monday.

There have also been no locally transmitted cases outside of Hubei for three straight days.

Yesterday, Mr Xi made his first stop at Huoshenshan Hospital, a 1,000-bed purpose-built facility that was constructed in 10 days to treat coronavirus patients. Wearing a face mask, he spoke to patients and medical workers via video link from a hall.

He later toured the grounds of a residential compound, waving to residents quarantined in their high-rise homes who came to their windows and balconies to greet the Chinese leader.

Mr Xi also met community workers, local cadres, volunteers and police officers at a community centre and thanked them for their contribution to battling the epidemic.

More than 4,000 people have died from the virus, with over 114,000 infected across the globe. While China accounts for the majority of these cases, the number of people infected daily in other countries has surpassed its own figures.

President Xi repeatedly paid tribute to those on the front line yesterday, and thanked the people of Wuhan city and Hubei province.

"The party and people are grateful to you," he said, acknowledging that the spread of the disease has been "basically curbed". "Wuhan must win, Hubei must win, the whole country must also win."

The Chinese leader's overt expressions of appreciation stood in contrast to the proposal made last week by Wuhan's top official Wang Zhonglin, for which he came under fire from netizens, that there should be a "gratitude education" campaign to thank President Xi and the Communist Party for leading the fight against the outbreak.

At a meeting later, Mr Xi told officials to take in both "experiences and lessons" and address the weaknesses in governance to safeguard people's lives and well-being.

The Chinese leader's visit also coincided with the easing of the lockdown in Hubei, after local authorities implemented a colour-coded health rating system for residents yesterday to allow those considered to be of low health risk to return to work.

The health code, which residents can register on either messaging app WeChat or e-payment platform Alipay on their smartphones, permits those who are "healthy" to travel freely within the province.

Mr Xi had come under criticism for his low public profile during the epidemic, choosing to send his deputy, Premier Li Keqiang, to Wuhan in late January instead.

In what was seen as an effort to counter negative public opinion, the Communist Party last month published a speech by him to show he was directing the handling of the crisis earlier than thought.

Associate Professor Li Mingjiang, who coordinates the China Programme at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, thinks the leadership may claim victory for winning the war against the epidemic shortly after Mr Xi's visit.

The Chinese leader's tour of Wuhan has been a move both Chinese citizens and China watchers have been anticipating, said Prof Li. "If he doesn't do this, you will see quite a bit of disappointment among the Chinese. Now is the right time for him to show his sympathy and backing, and win some political support."