Feb. 14
-- Xinhua News Agency reported that President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, chairman of the Central Military Commission and the head of the CPC Central Committee for Deepening Overall Reform, presided over the 12th meeting of the central committee for deepening overall reform and made an important speech.
Xi stressed safeguarding people's life and health is a major mission of the Party in governing the country, urging efforts to win the battle against the epidemic with scientific and accurate measures, strengthen areas of weakness, and close the loopholes exposed in the current epidemic.
Xi demanded improvement in the mechanism for major epidemic prevention and control and the national public health emergency management system. Excerpts of Xi's speech at the meeting was published by the Qiushi Journal in its fifth issue of 2020.
-- Michael Ryan, executive director of the WHO health emergencies program, refuted remarks by Lawrence Kudlow, the director of the White House National Economic Council, that described the Chinese government's response to the epidemic outbreak as lacking transparency.
Ryan said the remarks did not accord with the facts, as the Chinese government actively cooperated with the WHO and displayed a high level of transparency.
-- Under the joint prevention and control mechanism of the State Council, a press conference was held announcing China's daily new confirmed COVID-19 cases outside Hubei had been dropping for 10 consecutive days.
Feb. 15
-- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi made a speech at the 56th Munich Security Conference, introducing China's decisive measures to combat the COVID-19 epidemic and the notable results it has achieved.
-- The State Council Information Office held a press conference in Wuhan, briefing the work of epidemic prevention and control and medical treatment in Hubei Province. It was the first of such conferences held in the province by the office amid the epidemic outbreak. The office held three press conferences in Beijing and Wuhan that day.
-- The State Council Information Office held a press conference in Beijing on epidemic prevention and control related to the return trips of the Spring Festival travel rush.
-- Under the joint prevention and control mechanism of the State Council, a press conference was held in Beijing updating progress in drug development and scientific research related to the COVID-19.
As revealed at the press conference, seven types of detection reagents have been approved to tap the market, while staged progress has been made in drug screening and treatment, vaccine development and animal model construction.
Feb. 16
-- The China-WHO joint expert team started a nine-day field visit in China, scheduled to inspect cities including Beijing, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Wuhan.
The team consists of 25 experts from China, Germany, Japan, Republic of Korea (ROK), Nigeria, Russia, Singapore, the United States and WHO.
Foreign experts include senior WHO adviser Bruce Aylward, Tim Eckmanns, researcher with the Robert Koch Institute, Dale Fisher, professor at the National University of Singapore, Chikwe Ihekweazu, head of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Cliff Lane, researcher with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the United States, Jong-Koo Lee, associate professor at Seoul National University College of Medicine, Natalia Pshenichnaia, Aleksandr Semenov, Hitoshi Takahashi, scientist with the National Institute of Infectious Diseases of Japan, Maria van Kerkhove, head of WHO's emerging diseases and zoonosis unit, and Weigong Zhou.
-- Under the joint prevention and control mechanism of the State Council, a press conference was held in Beijing updating the country's prevention and control situation.
As revealed at the press conference, as of Feb. 15, the proportion of severe and critical cases among all confirmed COVID-19 cases had dropped significantly in China (including Wuhan and Hubei Province).
Feb. 17
-- Xinhua News Agency reported that Li Keqiang presided over a meeting of the leading group of the CPC Central Committee on response to the COVID-19 outbreak, making arrangements to continue the treatment of COVID-19 patients and ensure market supply in Hubei Province, particularly in Wuhan City, and advance orderly resumption of work and production while enhancing epidemic prevention and control.
-- During a working consultation with Estonian officials in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, a senior official from the Chinese foreign ministry introduced China's progress in prevention and control of the COVID-19, saying China has confidence, ability and certainty to win the battle against the epidemic.
-- At a press conference in Beijing, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson introduced China's efforts in sharing information and anti-epidemic cooperation with Japan.
Feb. 18
-- Chinese President Xi Jinping talked over phone with French President Emmanuel Macron at request, noting China not only safeguards the lives and health of the Chinese people, but acts in a highly responsible manner for global public health security.
Xi said China has always been open and transparent in its cooperation with France and other countries to deal with the epidemic, adding that China stands ready to work with France to boost practical cooperation in the health sector and jointly safeguard regional and global public health security.
-- Chinese President Xi Jinping talked over phone with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson at request, noting that by upholding the idea of building a community with a shared future for mankind, China is not only responsible for the safety and health of its people, but also committed to the cause of safeguarding international public health.
China has made enormous efforts, and has effectively contained the global spread of the virus, Xi said, adding that the Chinese side will continue to cooperate with Britain and all other countries in an open and transparent manner.
-- Under the joint prevention and control mechanism of the State Council, a press conference was held in Beijing announcing that the daily new confirmed cases nationwide dropped below 2,000 for the first time on Feb. 17, with that outside Hubei Province below 100 for the first time. Daily death across the country also fell below 100 for the first time.
-- The China-WHO joint expert team traveled to Guangdong and Sichuan provinces for a three-day field investigation on the COVID-19 outbreak.
-- An official of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs introduced China's progress in prevention and control of the COVID-19 epidemic when meeting with Albanian officials at Tirana, the capital of Albania.
-- An official of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs met with Greg Gilligan, the new chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in China, saying the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic is temporary, and the long-term trend of China's economic development has not changed. China welcomes U.S. enterprises to continue their business in China and hopes to strengthen cooperation with the chamber and its members, the official said.
-- China's NHC replied in a letter to U.S. department of health and human services, further communicating on arrangements for bilateral cooperation on health and epidemic control.
Feb. 19
-- Xinhua News Agency reported that Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, chaired a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee to hear reports on the epidemic prevention and control work, and coordinate epidemic control and economic and social development. The meeting decided to submit the relevant measures to the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee for further review.
-- The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs held the third briefing on epidemic prevention and control online. Ambassadors and diplomats from more than 180 foreign missions in China attended the briefing. China's foreign ministry updated the situation of the COVID-19 outbreak in China and the country's efforts in epidemic prevention and control. The Foreign Affairs Office of the People's Government of Beijing Municipality introduced the latest epidemic control arrangements related to people returning to Beijing from abroad amid the outbreak, which was closely followed by foreign missions in China. Officials from the education and foreign ministries answered questions relevant to foreign students and employees in China.
Feb. 20
-- Chinese President Xi Jinping talked over phone with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan at request, stressing facts have proved once again that China and Pakistan are true friends and good brothers that share weal and woe. Xi said China will take good care of its Pakistani brothers and sisters in the country like its own citizens.
-- Chinese President Xi Jinping talked over phone with President of the Republic of Korea Moon Jae-in at request, stressing China's forceful prevention and control measures are not only aimed at safeguarding the lives and health of the Chinese people, but also contributing to the world's public health cause. Xi said China will continue to strengthen communication and cooperation with the Republic of Korea and other countries in an open and transparent manner, so as to tackle the epidemic together and promote the health and well-being of people across the world.
-- Chinese President Xi Jinping replied in a letter to Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, expressing his appreciation toward the foundation's act in supporting China's prevention and control work against the COVID-19 epidemic. Xi called for unity and cooperation in the international community to fight the disease.
-- Xinhua News Agency reported that Li Keqiang presided over a meeting of the leading group of the CPC Central Committee on response to the COVID-19 outbreak, making arrangements on further improving protection for frontline medics, accelerating effective applications of drugs and continuing to advance orderly resumption of work and production while enhancing epidemic prevention and control measures in a scientific way.
-- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended a special China-ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting, introducing China's progress in epidemic prevention and control.
-- The State Council Information Office held a press conference in Hubei Province, briefing epidemic prevention and control work organized by the guidance group sent to the province by the CPC Central Committee.
-- When asked at a press conference whether the novel coronavirus is a biological weapon, a spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: "What we need in the face of an epidemic is science, rationality and cooperation. We must seek the triumph of science over ignorance, dispel rumors with truth, and replace prejudice with cooperation. We hope the international community, while fighting COVID-19 together, will continue to combat conspiracy theories and other 'political viruses'."
-- Clinical medical experts from China and ASEAN held a video conference to exchange ideas on treatment guidelines and rescue experience on COVID-19 patients.
Feb. 21
-- Xinhua News Agency reported that Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, chaired a meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee on the prevention and control of the COVID-19 and the coordination between the epidemic control and economic and social development.
The meeting called for deepening opening up and international cooperation, enhancing communication and coordination with China's economic and trade partners, and giving priority to helping the leading enterprises that have a significant influence in the global supply chain to resume production and supply to maintain the stability of the global supply chain.
Efforts will be made to make good use of export credit insurance and encourage key export enterprises to resume operation as soon as possible, according to the meeting.
The meeting also highlighted active international cooperation in epidemic prevention and control from the perspective of building a community with a shared future for humanity.
-- The NHC released the fifth version of guidelines on the prevention and control of the COVID-19.
-- Under the joint prevention and control mechanism of the State Council, a press conference was held in Beijing announcing the daily number of newly cured and discharged COVID-19 patients on Feb. 20 in Wuhan outnumbered that of new confirmed cases for the first time, and the daily number of newly cured and discharged COVID-19 patients nationwide surpassed 2,000 for the first time.
Feb. 22
-- The China-WHO joint expert team arrived in Hubei Province for a two-day field investigation on the COVID-19 outbreak.
The experts visited Tongji Hospital, the Wuhan Sports Center that was converted into a temporary hospital, and the provincial CDC to learn about epidemic prevention and control as well as medical treatment. They also talked with officials and experts in the province.
Feb. 23
-- Xinhua News Agency reported that Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed unremitting efforts on the prevention and control of the COVID-19 and coordination in advancing economic and social development.
Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks when delivering an important speech at a meeting in Beijing to advance the work on coordinating the prevention and control of the COVID-19 and economic and social development.
The epidemic situation remains grim and complex and it is now a most crucial moment to curb the spread, Xi noted, asking Party committees and governments at all levels to continue to make unremitting efforts in various prevention and control work and resume work and production in an orderly manner.
Efforts should be made to turn pressure into impetus, turn crises into opportunities, restore the work and life order step by step, Xi said, adding measures should be consolidated to stabilize the employment, finance, foreign trade, foreign capital, domestic investment, and expectations, and intensify policy adjustments to fully unleash the huge potential and strong momentum of China's development and strive to achieve the goals and tasks for economic and social development this year, Xi said.
Xi's speech on the meeting was published that day.
