China

World Economic Forum event in China postponed due to COVID-19 outbreak

by Sarakshi Rai

The World Economic Forum event scheduled in China this month has been postponed after COVID-19 cases in the city of Tianjin hit a three-month high, according to Reuters. 

The event, called the Annual Meeting of the New Champions, was scheduled for Nov. 16-18. However, the WEF said that the meeting will be moved to a different date. 

“Regretfully, due to the circumstances around the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and recent cases in major cities and provinces in China, the Annual Meeting of the New Champions will be rescheduled,” the WEF said in an email.

The meeting was supposed to be the forum’s first global gathering since the COVID-19 outbreak.

The forum sought to bring together over 500 leaders representing the world’s largest businesses as well as public figures from around the globe to gather under the theme of Championing a New Sustainable Innovation Agenda.

The WEF did not immediately respond to The Hill’s request for comment. 
 
China also issued notices to citizens to stock up on essential items and “daily necessities,” sparking panicked buying among citizens, according to Reuters.   
 
A notice posted on the Ministry of Commerce’s website on Monday asked residents “to store a certain amount of daily necessities as needed to meet daily life and emergencies”.
 
The country’s National Health Commission confirmed 93 new local symptomatic cases on Nov. 2, up from 54 on Nov. 1. This is the highest daily count since Aug. 9 when China’s last major outbreak peaked.

Beijing authorities have also told residents to avoid traveling out of the city, postpone weddings and cut back on all non-essential gatherings.

China