MOSCOW/BEIJING: Russian authorities have quarantined a top Chinese diplomat as a safety precaution against coronavirus shortly after he arrived in Russia to take up his new post, the Interfax news agency reported on Monday (Feb 10). The Chinese consulate in Yekaterinburg did not answer calls on Monday. In Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping said the government would prevent large-scale layoffs amid the coronavirus outbreak, Chinese state television reported, as he appeared among the public for the first time since the epidemic started. State television reported Xi as saying that China will strive to meet its economic and social targets for the year and make economic adjustments to minimise the impact of the virus. He met visiting Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen last week and World Health Organisation Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in late January.

Source: The Star February 10, 2020 13:41 UTC