Shanghai: As the novel coronavirus outbreak is gradually contained in China, officials in some regions are taking the lead in removing their masks and dining out to show wary residents the worst has passed.
On Friday, Shanghai Vice-Mayor Wu Qing took off his face mask, suggesting others do the same, at an opening ceremony of five foreign financial institutions celebrating their new operations in the city.
“Shanghai has reported no new local infections of novel coronavirus over the past 20 days. It can be said that Shanghai is quite safe now,” he said, adding that the recent daily infections reported in the city have been imported cases.
“We’re holding this opening ceremony at this very moment to give confidence to everyone, not only to those living in Shanghai, but also people all over the world,” Wu said. On the same day, Lou Qinjian, Party secretary and top official of Jiangsu province, together with other provincial officials, did not wear masks during their indoors meeting, photos of the event show. In some other regions of China, local administrators are sending a similar message, shopping and dining out to encourage consumption and support local business.
Chongqing Vice-Mayor Li Bo and Zhang Zhihui, head of the municipal commerce commission met at an outdoor hotpot restaurant on March 17 and ordered a combination of signature dishes and seasonal vegetables. “I have not had a hotpot meal for more than two months. Today I finally satisfied the craving!” Li was quoted by local media as saying.
– The Daily Mail-China Daily News exchange item
