As the coronavirus continues to spread there is a lot of misinformation that is doing rounds with it. The United States has blamed Russia for leading the disinformation campaign.

Coronavirus Outbreak: US blames Russia for fueling disinformation

Source have told WION, that China is deliberately delaying granting clearance to an Indian flight which will carry out evacuation operation in Wuhan.

News Alert: China delaying clearance to Indian flight for evacuation operation

Italy has reported the first European casualty from the coronavirus outbreak. 78-year old Adriano Trevisan was hospitalised 10 days ago for a completely unrelated health condition, Adriano was diagnosed with coronavirus based on preliminary tests.

Coronavirus Outbreak: Italy reports first European casualty

China's deadly coronavirus has spread across West Asia. The cumulative figure of cases outside China is now well beyond 1,200. A dramatic surge in new cases has been reported in the West Asian countries.

Coronavirus Outbreak: Coronavirus hits West Asia

South Korea is worst infected with coronavirus outside China. A dramatic surge in coronavirus cases has been reported in South Korea. The total number of infected people has reached 346 in South Korea. As per the latest reports, In China, the death toll of the coronavirus outbreak surged to 2,345 with more than 76,000 people infected.

Coronavirus Outbreak: South Korea confirms 142 new cases

As per the latest reports, In China the death toll of the coronavirus outbreak surged to 2,345 with more than 76,000 people infected.

Coronavirus Outbreak: Death toll in China rise to 2,345

Indian Air Force’s C-17 Globemaster was scheduled to fly to China on Friday to evacuate Indian citizens, but the special flight is awaiting clearance from the Beijing.

Coronavirus Outbreak | India asks China to grant permit to Indian Jet: Sources

As per the latest reports, In China, the death toll of the coronavirus outbreak surged to 2,345 with more than 76,000 people infected.

Coronavirus Outbreak: Iran reports 5th Covid-19 related death

Coronavirus Outbreak: India accuses China of denying permission for relief flight

More companies in China are expected to resume operations by late February or March, a transport official said on Saturday, as officials try to get the economy up and running again while containing a coronavirus outbreak that has created massive business disruptions.

In particular, authorities are trying to get delivery companies back in operation as quickly as possible, Wu Chungeng, an official at the Ministry of Transport, told a news briefing.

Some companies which have reopened have complained of shortages of parts and materials due to transport restrictions imposed to curb the spread of the virus, while others say they can't get finished goods to customers. The disruptions are increasingly spilling over into global supply chains.

Wu added delivery services of China Post, SF Express and jd.com have resumed full operations, while 66.7% of other delivery companies have restarted delivery services.

Ministry data showed over 30% of China's highway and waterway transportation have resumed operations while 28% of road transport companies and 41% of waterway transport companies have resumed work.

Major ports were operating normally, Wu said, adding that 65% of port companies had resumed work.

"The railways and civil aviation transportation network is operating normally, and express delivery is steadily returning to normal," he added.

China will release pork from state reserves as needed, a commerce ministry senior official said at the same briefing.

Supplies of oil, egg, rice and noodles can meet the needs for Wuhan for a "relatively long time", Xian Guoyi, director of department of trade in services and commercial services said

The city of Wuhan, in central Hubei province, is the epicentre of the outbreak and remains in lockdown. The virus has killed over 2,300 people and infected over 76,000.

Xian also said that China had imported 5 billion yuan ($711.69 million) worth of medical supplies to tackle the outbreak.

More companies in China are expected to resume operations by late February or March, a transport official said on Saturday, as officials try to get the economy up and running again while containing a coronavirus outbreak that has created massive business disruptions.

More companies in China are expected to resume operations by late February or March, a transport official said on Saturday, as officials try to get the economy up and running again while containing a coronavirus outbreak that has created massive business disruptions. In particular, authorities are trying to get delivery companies back in operation as quickly as possible, Wu Chungeng, an official at the Ministry of Transport, told a news briefing. Some companies which have reopened have complained of shortages of parts and materials due to transport restrictions imposed to curb the spread of the virus, while others say they can't get finished goods to customers. The disruptions are increasingly spilling over into global supply chains. Wu added delivery services of China Post, SF Express and jd.com have resumed full operations, while 66.7% of other delivery companies have restarted delivery services. Ministry data showed over 30% of China's highway and waterway transportation have resumed operations while 28% of road transport companies and 41% of waterway transport companies have resumed work. Major ports were operating normally, Wu said, adding that 65% of port companies had resumed work. "The railways and civil aviation transportation network is operating normally, and express delivery is steadily returning to normal," he added. China will release pork from state reserves as needed, a commerce ministry senior official said at the same briefing. Supplies of oil, egg, rice and noodles can meet the needs for Wuhan for a "relatively long time", Xian Guoyi, director of department of trade in services and commercial services said The city of Wuhan, in central Hubei province, is the epicentre of the outbreak and remains in lockdown. The virus has killed over 2,300 people and infected over 76,000. Xian also said that China had imported 5 billion yuan ($711.69 million) worth of medical supplies to tackle the outbreak.

China expects more companies to resume operations by late February, early March

Hong Kong cops infected with coronavirus | Ground Report from Hong Kong

The death toll in China from the coronavirus epidemic rose to 2,233 on Friday after 115 more people died in Hubei province, the hard-hit epicentre of the outbreak.

Your Story: Masks prices skyrocket in Hong Kong

Coronavirus Outbreak: CGTN's Jiaxin Zhou reports from Wuhan | WION-CGTN Exclusive

The Chengdu Breeding and Research Base of Giant Pandas in southwest China's Sichuan Province have recently taken a video of cute giant panda and transmitted to the temporary hospital in central China's Wuhan City to satisfy their aspirations of seeing pandas and as an encouragement to the patients of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Cute panda videos cheer up coronavirus patients in Wuhan temporary hospital

As per the latest reports, the death toll of the coronavirus outbreak surged to 2,233 with more than 75,000 people infected.

Coronavirus Outbreak: Hong Kong satisfied with China's efforts to contain outbreak?

WION received two videos from Pakistani nationals in which a father and a Pakistani student are making an appeal to the Pakistan government to evacuate Pakistan nationals from China. Earlier, a Chinese diplomat on February 20 backed Pakistan's decision not to evacuate Pakistani students from Wuhan city a day after the angry parents issued an ultimatum to the country's government of holding a demonstration if they bring their children back within three days.

Coronavirus Outbreak: Pakistani nationals appeal to their government

The coronavirus outbreak has given birth to a new era. Now China has launched a worldwide offensive against any negative coverage of the coronavirus outbreak.

Coronavirus Outbreak: China's war on foreign media

As per the latest reports, The death toll of the coronavirus outbreak surged to 2,233 with more than 75,000 people infected.

Coronavirus Outbreak: Death toll surged to 2,233

The death toll in China's coronavirus surged past 2,000 on Wednesday (February 19), meanwhile Russia has imposed temporary ban on entry of Chinese nationals in the country.

Coronavirus Outbreak: Russia temporarily bans entry of Chinese nationals

Casinos in Macau, the world's biggest gambling hub, reopen on February 20 after being closed for two weeks because of the coronavirus epidemic, but all punters and croupiers will have to wear a mask at the tables. Casino executives and residents say revenue will remain badly crimped in the Chinese territory's 41 casinos and the businesses dependent on them because of the health restrictions and strict entry regulations on tourists.

Your Story: Only masked punters, Macau casinos reopen after coronavirus suspension

Hundreds of Pakistani students have been struck in Wuhan which is the epicentre of the deadly coronavirus outbreak. However, Pakistan has refused to evacuate them. Parents have been appealing to the Pakistani government to get their children back home. Watch report:

WION Dispatch: Pakistan refused to evacuate students from Wuhan, Students speak through WION

By Rowan Callick

Brand “People’s Republic of China” is wobbling, as if the massive picture of Mao Zedong in Tiananmen Square was swaying with an earthquake tremor. But it can only actually fall if pushed from inside.

The handling of the coronavirus epidemic is undoubtedly sapping confidence in the Communist party and its formerly all-conquering general secretary, Xi Jinping.

Any country or ruling party would struggle if faced with a similarly massive challenge – exacerbated by the great annual domestic migration for Lunar New Year.

But the party and its leader shoulder especially great ambitions of entering a “new era” created by Xi to “realise the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation.”

National elders selected Xi as a leader in 2012 to purge corruption and purify the party. He has replaced most senior officials, including in the People’s Liberation Army, with those who supported his rise through the provincial ranks in Fujian and Zhejiang.

Xi has restructured the party, personalised and centralised power. Leveraging the anti-corruption campaign, he has also built the central party’s vast surveillance and control powers.

Losing the ‘mandate of heaven’

The big question now is how this renovated party structure is holding up against the appalling coronavirus epidemic. Particularly as it compounds an economic slowdown already exacerbated by the trade-and-tech war with the US and Beijing’s struggles to subdue its troubled borderlands in Xinjiang and Hong Kong.

It would seem logical that since Xi claims all the glory for China’s economic rise and global influence, he would bear the responsibility for disasters, as well.

This would fit with the old imperial danger of losing the “mandate of heaven” – the notion that only a righteous ruler would retain the approval of the Gods.

But there’s a long history in China of people blaming local officials for problems, while retaining a belief in the power of the emperor or general secretary to resolve them. Hundreds of thousands still annually petition the central party leadership about regional and personal wrongs.

Many are still assessing where to pin the blame for the current crisis and are reluctant to accept what they are told officially. People are adroitly downloading and re-posting censored messages on social media, causing the “net police” constant whack-a-mole grief.

This is why the initial failings of the Wuhan authorities, which likely enabled the virus to spread rapidly, have aroused widespread anger in China. And why many rightly dubbed the whistleblowing doctor Li Wenliang, who died from the disease after being hauled in by police, a martyr.

In recent days, the central government has also blamed local authorities, replacing the party secretary in Hubei province. However, public anger and distrust of the authorities still burns.

Crises like the melamine-laced milk powder scandal that sickened more than 300,000 babies in 2008 and now coronavirus underline a basic reality: for all the vast sums spent on security in China, it remains fundamentally elusive for most people.

Alistair Nicholas, a Sydney-based business consultant with extensive China experience, told me his contacts in China have said, "&nbsp;The poor initial handling of the crisis by the Chinese authorities has ‘left a bitter taste in the mouths of many Chinese.’ Trust with their own government has been broken and those who can leave."

With hundreds of millions still staying largely at home, staring at smartphones, such sentiments seep out everywhere. 
 
Reform remains unlikely 
 
Xi will, of course, be aware it was in Wuchang, a district of Wuhan, where a rebellion began in 1911 that triggered the downfall of the Qing Dynasty.

Today, however, the extent of China’s online and offline controls almost rule out change – or even threat – coming from the “masses”.

They are not trusted to participate in their own governance. They are given no scope to organise. Since seizing power in 1949, the party has drawn a line under further revolutions.

In the last few days, two figures named Xu have challenged Xi, and suffered the consequences.

Xu Zhiyong, a civil rights activist and academic who called on Xi to resign over the virus response, has been arrested by security officials in Guangzhou.

And Xu Zhangrun, a famous law professor at Tsinghua University, has been placed under effective house arrest after posting a lengthy critique that said China’s political system.

There has also been sharp criticism of China’s response to the crisis overseas, but this, too, carries limited weight in Beijing.

Instead, China highlights and relishes the applause its governance receives, especially from agencies like the World Health Organisation. WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus recently thanked China for its “transparency” and heaped particular praise on Xi for his “detailed knowledge of the outbreak”.

There are, of course, questions about when Xi’s knowledge of the outbreak actually began.

But rather than claiming ignorance of the severity of the outbreak at the outset, Xi has decided to take a different course. He’s persisting with his customary claim of omniscience and blaming local officials, while insisting China’s “war” against the virus has been valiant, as attested by the WHO and other international voices.

Who is going to take credible issue with that?

In today’s China, it is not intellectuals or the general public, but the 90 million party members who will determine whether this epidemic demands substantial change.

And that will ultimately depend on the tiny circle of elite cadres surrounding Xi. Unless a convincing crack appears at the top, the crucial band of middle-ranking party managers will sit tight.

‘Not just a problem for China, but for the world’

The personalisation of the system, combined with Xi’s reluctance to groom a successor is, however, steadily raising party anxiety about the future.

Xi said recently, " The long-term sound fundamentals of our economy haven’t changed … The impact of the outbreak will only be short-term."

But the rippling effects of coronavirus threaten to derail Xi’s vision of “rejuvenation” - a Chinese century of power and affluence. Economists ponder whether China will now spring the “middle-income trap” that has restrained the prosperity of other nations, risking a failure to “get rich before it grows old.”

The almost certain postponement of next month’s National People’s Congress is a further mark of a government in crisis. Despite making good health sense, this move would create political risk by acknowledging that even pillar state events are now eluding Xi’s control.

Once eventually summoned, though, the NPC delegates will be expected to cheer to the red rafters Xi’s victory in the “People’s War” against coronavirus.

But what does it mean, asks Jude Blanchette, who holds the Freeman Chair in China Studies at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, for Xi to dominate a party and government, "That appear unable to confront, diagnose, and effectively overcome complex domestic and international challenges? That’s not just a problem for China, but for the world."

Or as the stood-down law professor Xu Zhangrun asks, can a regime that cannot treat its own people well, treat the world well?

(Rowan Callick is Industry Fellow, Griffith University)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-vulnerable-is-xi-jinping-over-coronavirus-in-todays-china-there-are-few-to-hold-him-to-account-131760">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) &nbsp;

By Rowan Callick Brand “People’s Republic of China” is wobbling, as if the massive picture of Mao Zedong in Tiananmen Square was swaying with an earthquake tremor.

By Rowan Callick Brand “People’s Republic of China” is wobbling, as if the massive picture of Mao Zedong in Tiananmen Square was swaying with an earthquake tremor. But it can only actually fall if pushed from inside. The handling of the coronavirus epidemic is undoubtedly sapping confidence in the Communist party and its formerly all-conquering general secretary, Xi Jinping. Any country or ruling party would struggle if faced with a similarly massive challenge – exacerbated by the great annual domestic migration for Lunar New Year. But the party and its leader shoulder especially great ambitions of entering a “new era” created by Xi to “realise the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation.” National elders selected Xi as a leader in 2012 to purge corruption and purify the party. He has replaced most senior officials, including in the People’s Liberation Army, with those who supported his rise through the provincial ranks in Fujian and Zhejiang. Xi has restructured the party, personalised and centralised power. Leveraging the anti-corruption campaign, he has also built the central party’s vast surveillance and control powers. Losing the ‘mandate of heaven’ The big question now is how this renovated party structure is holding up against the appalling coronavirus epidemic. Particularly as it compounds an economic slowdown already exacerbated by the trade-and-tech war with the US and Beijing’s struggles to subdue its troubled borderlands in Xinjiang and Hong Kong. It would seem logical that since Xi claims all the glory for China’s economic rise and global influence, he would bear the responsibility for disasters, as well. This would fit with the old imperial danger of losing the “mandate of heaven” – the notion that only a righteous ruler would retain the approval of the Gods. But there’s a long history in China of people blaming local officials for problems, while retaining a belief in the power of the emperor or general secretary to resolve them. Hundreds of thousands still annually petition the central party leadership about regional and personal wrongs. Many are still assessing where to pin the blame for the current crisis and are reluctant to accept what they are told officially. People are adroitly downloading and re-posting censored messages on social media, causing the “net police” constant whack-a-mole grief. This is why the initial failings of the Wuhan authorities, which likely enabled the virus to spread rapidly, have aroused widespread anger in China. And why many rightly dubbed the whistleblowing doctor Li Wenliang, who died from the disease after being hauled in by police, a martyr. In recent days, the central government has also blamed local authorities, replacing the party secretary in Hubei province. However, public anger and distrust of the authorities still burns. Crises like the melamine-laced milk powder scandal that sickened more than 300,000 babies in 2008 and now coronavirus underline a basic reality: for all the vast sums spent on security in China, it remains fundamentally elusive for most people. Alistair Nicholas, a Sydney-based business consultant with extensive China experience, told me his contacts in China have said, " The poor initial handling of the crisis by the Chinese authorities has ‘left a bitter taste in the mouths of many Chinese.’ Trust with their own government has been broken and those who can leave." With hundreds of millions still staying largely at home, staring at smartphones, such sentiments seep out everywhere. Reform remains unlikely Xi will, of course, be aware it was in Wuchang, a district of Wuhan, where a rebellion began in 1911 that triggered the downfall of the Qing Dynasty. Today, however, the extent of China’s online and offline controls almost rule out change – or even threat – coming from the “masses”. They are not trusted to participate in their own governance. They are given no scope to organise. Since seizing power in 1949, the party has drawn a line under further revolutions. In the last few days, two figures named Xu have challenged Xi, and suffered the consequences. Xu Zhiyong, a civil rights activist and academic who called on Xi to resign over the virus response, has been arrested by security officials in Guangzhou. And Xu Zhangrun, a famous law professor at Tsinghua University, has been placed under effective house arrest after posting a lengthy critique that said China’s political system. There has also been sharp criticism of China’s response to the crisis overseas, but this, too, carries limited weight in Beijing. Instead, China highlights and relishes the applause its governance receives, especially from agencies like the World Health Organisation. WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus recently thanked China for its “transparency” and heaped particular praise on Xi for his “detailed knowledge of the outbreak”. There are, of course, questions about when Xi’s knowledge of the outbreak actually began. But rather than claiming ignorance of the severity of the outbreak at the outset, Xi has decided to take a different course. He’s persisting with his customary claim of omniscience and blaming local officials, while insisting China’s “war” against the virus has been valiant, as attested by the WHO and other international voices. Who is going to take credible issue with that? In today’s China, it is not intellectuals or the general public, but the 90 million party members who will determine whether this epidemic demands substantial change. And that will ultimately depend on the tiny circle of elite cadres surrounding Xi. Unless a convincing crack appears at the top, the crucial band of middle-ranking party managers will sit tight. ‘Not just a problem for China, but for the world’ The personalisation of the system, combined with Xi’s reluctance to groom a successor is, however, steadily raising party anxiety about the future. Xi said recently, " The long-term sound fundamentals of our economy haven’t changed … The impact of the outbreak will only be short-term." But the rippling effects of coronavirus threaten to derail Xi’s vision of “rejuvenation” - a Chinese century of power and affluence. Economists ponder whether China will now spring the “middle-income trap” that has restrained the prosperity of other nations, risking a failure to “get rich before it grows old.” The almost certain postponement of next month’s National People’s Congress is a further mark of a government in crisis. Despite making good health sense, this move would create political risk by acknowledging that even pillar state events are now eluding Xi’s control. Once eventually summoned, though, the NPC delegates will be expected to cheer to the red rafters Xi’s victory in the “People’s War” against coronavirus. But what does it mean, asks Jude Blanchette, who holds the Freeman Chair in China Studies at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, for Xi to dominate a party and government, "That appear unable to confront, diagnose, and effectively overcome complex domestic and international challenges? That’s not just a problem for China, but for the world." Or as the stood-down law professor Xu Zhangrun asks, can a regime that cannot treat its own people well, treat the world well? (Rowan Callick is Industry Fellow, Griffith University) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

How vulnerable is Xi Jinping over coronavirus?

In China, it is the biggest drop in almost a month. Number of new cases dropped from 1,693 on Wednesday. China is confident of winning the fight against this deadly virus. Chinese government thanked the International community for there support.

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The deadly coronavirus outbreak may be a silver lining for the environment this as a study says the lockdown in China has significantly dropped down the country's carbon emissions.

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The death toll in China's coronavirus surged past 2,000 on Wednesday (February 19) after 136 more deaths were reported by the country's health commission.

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India is scheduled to send another aircraft to Wuhan to evacuate more Indians from the epicentre of coronavirus outbreak. This is the third rescue process conducted by India and the Indian government has so far evacuated about 640 Indian nationals by sending government-owned airline Air India.

Coronavirus Outbreak: India's third evacuation operation from Wuhan

An 8-year-old boy and a 2-year-old girl were left alone in China's Wuhan, the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak after their parents and grandmother became infected with the coronavirus. Seven volunteers offered them a temporary home in Hangzhou. Watch report:

WION-CGTN Exclusive: Volunteer 'mothers' for children in China 's Hangzhou

At least 150 million Chinese citizens are under lockdown. A director of a hospital in Wuhan has died. Confirmed cases of the Wuhan coronavirus have crossed 70,000.

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Three Indians who had contracted the coronavirus are now cured. India has defeated the Wuhan virus. It now needs to focus on a different challenge. Wion's palki tells you how this outbreak could trigger a medicine crunch in India.

WION Edit: Wuhan virus outbreak: What India needs to worry about

The Wuhan coronavirus has triggered a flood of misinformation. Six videos from China have triggered an infodemic. In this report, Wion's palki tells you why accurate information is the need of the hour.

Gravitas- Fact vs Fake: Decoding six coronavirus videos that triggered panic

A couple from a small town in south-east China Fujian province is offering free take out delivery for community workers as the nation tackles the outbreak of novel coronavirus. WION-CGTN gets you the exclusive report from China.

WION-CGTN Exclusive: Couple offers free food delivery in China

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