国内英语新闻:Xi chairs leadership meeting on epidemic control, economic development

BEIJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, on Wednesday chaired a leadership meeting to analyze the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemic prevention and control as well as the economic development at home and abroad.

The meeting also made arrangements for coordinating the epidemic prevention and control with key work of economic and social development.

Xi made an important speech at Wednesday's meeting of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

Xi said the positive trend in preventing and controlling the epidemic has been constantly consolidated and expanded, and the restoration of normal production and everyday life has been quickened.

However, new situations and problems, especially the overseas spread of the virus and its negative impacts on the world economy, have brought new challenges, he said.

Work priorities and response measures should be tailored to changing situations to win the people's war against the epidemic, secure a decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and fighting poverty, Xi noted.

Xi warned of the complexity and severity of the epidemic situations both at home and abroad.

The tasks of medical treatment, community prevention and control and follow-up work remain arduous in Hubei Province and its capital city of Wuhan, he said.

The risk of outbreak rebounding still exists in other regions due to increasing personnel mobility and crowd gathering, he said.

Xi particularly noted the mounting risk of imported cases as COVID-19 rapidly spread across the world.

"We should never allow the hard-won and continuous positive trend to be reversed," said Xi.

On international cooperation, Xi required closer cooperation with the World Health Organization to strengthen the analysis and prediction of the changes in the global epidemic situation, and improvement in strategies and policies to cope with imported risks.

He demanded strengthened exchanges and cooperation with other countries in epidemic response and pledged continuous assistance to the best of China's ability.

He also ordered more guidance and support to Chinese nationals overseas and the protection of their lives and health.