China’s Xi Seen in Public After Doctor’s Death Sparks Anger
China’s Xi Appears in Public After Doctor’s Death Sparks Outrage
(Bloomberg) --
Chinese President Xi Jinping made his first public appearance after the death of a doctor who became a hero for speaking out about the deadly coronavirus sparked public anger.
Xi visited the Chaoyang district in Beijing Monday afternoon “to learn about the situation of epidemic prevision and control at the grassroots level,” according to state-run media Xinhua. The agency published photos of Xi wearing a mask and having his temperature taken.
It was the first time Xi interacted with the public since a trip to Yunnan province from Jan. 19 to Jan. 21, part of a tradition the country’s leaders have of touring smaller towns and cities ahead of the Chinese New Year holiday. The president was last seen in public when he met with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Feb. 5.
Xi also chaired a rare meeting of the Communist Party’s top leaders on Feb. 3, though no photos or videos were published by state media. At the gathering, Xi called on all officials to quickly work together to contain the new virus, saying the outcome would directly impact social stability in the country.
The death toll from the virus has risen to 910, with 40,626 cases detected across the globe. The government’s struggle to stem its spread has fueled concerns about Xi’s efforts to centralize power since taking office, with officials pointing fingers over who’s to blame for the spread of the illness.
The death last week of the 34-year-old doctor, Li Wenliang, who was sanctioned by local authorities after warning about the disease, unleashed a torrent of grief and anger on social media. Beijing has moved quickly to try to stem the outrage, employing familiar censorship tools and sending a team from the Communist Party’s top disciplinary body to investigate his death.
To contact Bloomberg News staff for this story: Dandan Li in Beijing at dli395@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: John Liu at jliu42@bloomberg.net, Sharon Chen, Karen Leigh
©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
With assistance from Bloomberg