China must resume economic activities now, says Global Times

A man walking past a bull sculpture on a quiet street in Beijing, China. Millions of Chinese workers and entrepreneurs are bearing the rising costs of an anti-virus campaign that has shut down large sections of the economy. - AP

Global Times, a news portal linked to the Communist Party of China led by President Xi Jinping, said on Feb 17 that China has to resume economic activities now despite facing challenges brought about by the virus outbreak.

The virus might cause further casualties, but the economy is directly linked to livelihoods of 1.4 billion people. China cannot afford to wait until COVID-19 is wiped out before it resumes business operations, ” said the opinion piece in the portal.