Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

"Tough Challenges Remain" In China's Fight Against Covid: Xi Jinping In New Year Message

"Tough Challenges Remain" In China's Fight Against Covid: Xi Jinping In New Year Message

Xi Jinping said that China's extraordinary efforts have helped it prevail over unprecedented difficulties.
China's President Xi Jinping on Saturday acknowledged that the current wave of COVID-19 sweeping across the country has "entered a new phase" and "tough challenges remain" as the World Health Organisation (WHO) has asked Beijing to provide more data about the coronavirus variants amid India and other countries ramping up measures to screen travellers from the Communist nation.

"We have now entered a new phase of COVID-19 response where tough challenges remain," Xi said in his New Year address to the nation, adding that it has "not been an easy journey" as the country has to face "unprecedented difficulties and challenges".

Speaking on national television from behind a desk in a wood-paneled office, Xi said that China's extraordinary efforts have helped it prevail over unprecedented difficulties.

"With extraordinary efforts, we have prevailed over unprecedented difficulties and challenges and it has not been an easy journey for anyone," he said without providing much information about the dire situation prevailing in the country.

During his address, Xi said that China has adopted COVID-19 response in light of the evolving situation.

"Since COVID-19 struck we have put the people first and put life first all along. Following a science-based and targeted approach, we have adapted our COVID response in light of the evolving situation to protect the life and health of the people to the greatest extent possible," he said.

"Officials and the general public, particularly medical professionals and community workers, have bravely stuck to their posts through it all. With extraordinary efforts, we have prevailed over unprecedented difficulties and challenges, and it has not been an easy journey for anyone," Xi added.

He said that everyone is holding on with great fortitude.

"And the light of hope is right in front of us. Let's make an extra effort to pull through, as perseverance and solidarity mean victory," he said.

This is the second time in the last few days Xi spoke about the prevailing grim COVID-19 situation in the country after his government overnight relaxed the zero-COVID policy early this month following public protests.

Since then cases stated to be variants of the Omicron spread like wildfire in the country.

Also the Chinese government's latest move to scrap the three-year-old quarantine from the 8th of next month opening up the international borders has caused concern all over the world.

The move coming ahead of China's Spring festival holidays during which millions of Chinese were expected to travel abroad has sparked fears of the virus spreading again.

After repeated appeals from WHO, China on Friday permitted its health officials to interact with WHO experts.

After the meeting statement from WHO said it "again asked for regular sharing of specific and real-time data on the epidemiological situation - including more genetic sequencing data, data on disease impact including hospitalisations, intensive care unit (ICU) admissions and deaths - and data on vaccinations delivered and vaccination status, especially in vulnerable people and those over 60 years old".

China has not been releasing any data of the virus nor the deaths taking place in the country amid video reports of mortuaries filled with bodies, especially that of unvaccinated old people.

"WHO stressed the importance of monitoring and the timely publication of data to help China and the global community to formulate accurate risk assessments and to inform effective responses," the statement said.

Earlier on Thursday, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus defended the countries around the world taking precautionary measures to screen arrivals from China amid criticism from Beijing.

"In the absence of comprehensive information from China, it is understandable that countries around the world are acting in ways that they believe may protect their populations," he tweeted.

Tedros' remarks came against the backdrop of China criticising the countermeasures taken by various countries including the US, Japan and India requiring travellers from China to undergo the required tests.

Asked about Tedros' comments saying that the protective measures taken by various countries are understandable, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told media here on Friday over the past few days, authoritative medical experts from different countries have said that entry restrictions on travellers arriving from China are unnecessary.

Chinese official media criticised the screening of travellers from China.

A small number of countries and regions, such as the US and Japan see China's reopening as another chance to defame Beijing, a report in the state-run Global Times said.

They have imposed travel restrictions on arrivals from China, citing what experts called 'unfounded' and 'discriminatory' measures to defend their moves, but the real intention is to sabotage China's three years of COVID-19 control efforts and attack the country's system , it said.

In New Delhi on Thursday, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said that a negative COVID-19 report will be a must for passengers arriving in India from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Thailand from January 1.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
×