China

30 Jan 2019; MEMO: China believes the United Nations resolutions, the two-state solution, the principle of land for peace and other internationally backed measures form the basis for resolving the Israeli- Palestinian conflict, a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry said.

BEIJING, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- China on Wednesday expressed strong indignation over and firm opposition to the passing of a bill on Tibet-related issues by the U.S. House of Representatives.

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying said the so-called "Tibetan Policy and Support Act of 2019" seriously violated international law and basic norms governing international relations, grossly interfered in China's internal affairs and sent a severely wrong signal to the separatist forces of "Tibetan Independence."

BEIJING (AP) — World health officials expressed “great concern” Wednesday that a dangerous new virus is starting to spread between people outside of China, a troubling development as China and the world frantically work to contain the outbreak. For a second day, the number of infections grew dramatically.

The new virus has now infected more people in China than were sickened there during the 2002-2003 SARS outbreak. On Wednesday, the number of cases jumped to 5,974, surpassing the 5,327 people diagnosed with SARS.

Beijing, Jan 28 (AP) Hong Kong's leader has announced that all rail links to mainland China will be cut starting Friday as fears grow about the spread of a new virus. Chief Executive Carrie Lam said Tuesday that both the high-speed rail station and the regular train station would be closed.

China's death toll from a new viral disease that is causing mounting global concern rose by 25 to at least 106 on Tuesday as the United States and other governments prepared to fly their citizens out of the locked-down city at center of the outbreak.

BEIJING (AP) — Countries began evacuating their citizens Wednesday from the Chinese city hardest-hit by an outbreak of a new virus that has killed 132 people and infected more than 6,000 on the mainland and abroad.

A Japanese flight carrying evacuees home included four people with coughs and fevers. The three men and one woman were taken to a Tokyo hospital on separate ambulances for treatment and further medical checks.

BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese President Xi Jinping told the visiting chief of the World Health Organization on Tuesday that he was confident of winning the battle against a “devil” coronavirus that has killed 106 people and spread across the world.

A growing number of countries are planning to evacuate their citizens from Wuhan, a central city of 11 million people and epicenter of the outbreak. A chartered plane taking out U.S. consulate staff was set to leave Wuhan on Wednesday, a spokeswoman at the U.S. embassy in Beijing said.

Beijing, Jan 28 (AFP/PTI) China on Tuesday urged its citizens to postpone trips abroad as the country expands a massive effort to contain a viral outbreak that has killed more than 100 people nationwide.

The recommendation to delay non-essential travel was issued "in order to protect the health and safety of Chinese and foreign people", the National Immigration Administration said in a statement.

BEIJING, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- The chief of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tuesday said the WHO speaks highly of the decisive measures the Chinese government has taken and is confident in China's epidemic prevention and control ability.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made the remarks when meeting with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing.

BEIJING (AP) — Deaths from a new viral disease that is causing mounting global concern rose by 25 to at least 106 in China on Tuesday as the United States and other governments prepared to fly their citizens out of the locked-down city at center of the outbreak.

The total includes the first death in Beijing, the Chinese capital, and 24 more fatalities in Hubei province, where the first illnesses from the newly identified coronavirus occurred in December.

Asian stock markets tumbled for a second day, dragged down by worries about the virus’s global economic impact.

27 Jan 2019; MEMO: Saudi Arabia’s Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al-Saud said on Monday the kingdom was closely monitoring developments in global oil markets resulting from “gloomy expectations” over the impact of the new coronavirus on the Chinese and global economy and oil market fundamentals, Reuters reports.

Prince Abdulaziz said he was confident the Chinese government and international community could contain the spread of the virus and fully eradicate it.