TN China returnee didn’t die of corona
Envoy rejects concerns of nCoV impact on biz
Chennai: Seeking to put to rest the controversy over the suspected death of a China returnee in Tamil Nadu’s Pudukkottai district due to the novel coronavirus infection, the public health authorities here on Tuesday that 42-year-old Sakthikumar died of renal failure.
With China facing enormous pressure following the disastrous coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan and other parts of Hubei province, Chinese ambassador Sun Weidong sought to put up a brave face on Tuesday, claiming that “it is easier to shake a mountain than China”.
“China’s economy is stable and strong like a mountain. The fierce wind could blow down the trees but not the mountain. What I want to say is that it’s easier to shake a mountain than China,” Mr Sun was quoted by news agencies, as saying.
The Chinese ambassador appreciated India for extending solidarity and expressing readiness to assist China to deal with the epidemic, but significantly stressed that there should not be any restrictions on trade and movement of people between the two neighbours.
It may be recalled that India had earlier this month barred the entry of foreigners who have visited China on or after January 15, 2020, adding that all “visas issued to Chinese passport-holders including regular (sticker) as well as e-visas issued prior to February 5, 2020, have been suspended with immediate effect”.
The envoy said China’s confidence to deal with the epidemic came from the country’s strong economy, stating, “As the world’s second largest economy, our economic strength is the strong material foundation for us to win this battle.” He added the Chinese government has allocated more than 80 billion RMB (Renminbe — also known as Chinese Yuan) for epidemic prevention and control. He added that banks and financial institutions have provided more than 537 billion RMB in credit to fight against the epidemic.
“The epidemic has brought certain impact on some industries such as transportation, tourism and catering as well as
small and medium-sized enterprises. In the short term, the downward pressure on economy will increase, but the impact is still local, temporary and limited,” Mr Sun was quoted by a news agency.
Mr Sun said China has taken the most comprehensive and rigorous prevention and control measures to win the battle against coronavirus at the earliest, asserting that the country has sufficient
resources and policy tools to cope with economic fluctuations. At the same time, he said that a virus is a “borderless and a common threat to everyone in the world” and joint efforts are required to combat it.
He also said there is no case of infection as of today among the remaining Indians in Hubei province, the epicentre of the epidemic, and authorities are taking “good care” of them.