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| Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming speaks to reporters at the government complex in Seoul, Thursday, before meeting top foreign ministry officials over issues about the deadly new coronavirus. Korea Times photo by Cho Young-bin |
By Jung Min-ho
Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming claims the Chinese government can bring the deadly new coronavirus under control in 10 days.
Citing "the best scientists responding to the virus in China," Xing told reporters Thursday that the situation will improve "in seven to 10 days," before meeting high-ranking foreign ministry officials at the government complex in Seoul, according to the Hankook Ilbo, the sister paper of The Korea Times.
"We (China) can overcome this," Xing said in Korean. "Trust us."
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| Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming speaks to reporters on arrival at Incheon International Airport, Jan. 30. Yonhap |
His comments come as the Korean government is under increasing pressure to deny entry to all people coming from China to better prevent the spread of the virus, which has killed 560 people and infected more than 28,000 in 28 countries, as of Thursday.
The outbreak has put the world on alert, prompting many governments to enforce stringent restrictions on travelers from mainland China. Taiwan has imposed a total ban on travelers from the country.
At Tuesday's press conference, Xing stressed Beijing's capability to fight the virus and called on Korean authorities to listen to the World Health Organization's recommendations against unnecessary travel restrictions ― a comment apparently aimed at Seoul's travel ban on those coming from or through China's Hubei Province.
