Coronavirus: China Postpones Annual Session of Parliament for First Time in Decades

New Delhi: In an unprecedented move, China postponed the annual session of Parliament scheduled to start in Beijing from March 5 due to the Novel Corona virus outbreak.

The move comes as the country struggles with the deadly virus that has claimed over 2,500 lives and infected more than 77,000 people.

It’s the first time in decades that the assembly has been postponed, since the Cultural Revolution, according to reports.

The ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) showcases its political clout in the annual Parliament session.

The country’s top legislature, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), met in Beijing and approved a draft decision on postponing the NPC’s annual session due to Corona virus, reported to the state media.

The CPC considers the sessions as a significant political events to adopt its national agenda, including the annual budgets and formulate new laws.

Meanwhile, the China-World Health Organization (WHO) joint expert team visited Hubei Province, epicentre of the ‘COVID-19’ outbreak over the weekend to conduct field investigations.