Wang Zhicheng

The WHO director general says the decision "is not a vote of no confidence in China". Concern that "the virus will spread to countries with weaker health systems". Many countries block communications with Beijing. Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, France and the United States evacuate their compatriots. Tang Zhihong, chief of health from Huanggang City, is fired. The Wuhan government was too slow to respond to the first signs of an epidemic, "perhaps because of a lack of scientific knowledge" about the new type of virus, but also because of "hesitation in the decision-making process".

Dr Liang Wudong is the first victim among medical staff. As of 11 am today, some 1,326 cases of infection have been reported, 729 in Hubei alone. The death toll has risen to 41, doubling in a single day. In Guangxi, a two-year-old girl is the youngest patient. Three cases have been confirmed in France, one in Australia and one in Nepal. Hospitals are having to cope with shortage of beds.

From 10 this morning trains, buses, ferries and planes blocked. Medical checks on the roads for those who leave the city by car. Obligation to wear medical masks in public places. Hospitals are overcrowded with patients.

Mandatory quarantine measures to contain infections. The Wuhan city council gave indications not to leave the city except in really necessary cases. The Catholic churches of Wuhan, Hankow, Wuchang closed. All daily masses and New Year masses cancelled. New cases of infection in Macau, in the USA, in Taiwan. Criticism of Chinese health system.

The 66-year-old must also pay a fine of 2 million yuan. He was expelled from the Communist Party in March 2019. His wife Grace has asked Interpol and the French president for help, to no avail.

The victim is a 35-year-old woman who visited Wuhan, considered the epicenter of the infection. In addition to South Korea and China, there are infected in Japan and Thailand. Over 130 new infections and one more death in Wuhan. Infections revealed in Beijing, Shenzhen and Zhejiang. The fear of a new Sars.

For the first time, per capita GDP over 10 thousand US dollars. Government investment in infrastructure and private investment in property are down; industrial production and retail sales are rising.

The new measures will be implemented starting from February 1, 2020. Activities, rallies, programs of religious communities must have the approval of the Religious Affairs Office. Religious organizations must "spread the principles and policies of the Chinese Communist Party" by educating "religious staff and religious citizens to support the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party".

The founder of the Early Rain Covenant Church was also convicted of "illegal trade": his community prints and distributes religious books in Chinese society. The sentence was issued this morning; the trial was held on December 26th. No member of the community or family member was allowed to attend the trial. For Wang Yi, the persecution of Christians "is the most horrendous evil in Chinese society" because it deprives the population of hope and future.

​20-minute demonstration against the new university statute that submits studies to the Chinese Communist Party and Xi Jinping's leadership. The reference to "freedom of thought" and "academic independence" has been deleted. At least 26 higher education institutions have received the order from the Ministry of Education to carry out the review. All academic institutions, bodies and students are under the control of the Chinese Communist Party Committee.

The United States will not impose a 15 per cent duty on US$156 billion of Chinese imports and will reduce tariffs to 7.5 per cent on US$ 120 billion worth of Chinese products. China agrees to buy US$ 40-50 billion in US agricultural products in 2020, twice as much as in 2017, before the trade war. The deal protects intellectual property and adds enforcement mechanisms. Shanghai, Shenzhen and Hong Kong stock markets are up.

The president of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee follows Xi Jinping's "sinicization" program. Fight against "extreme thoughts and heresies". Xinjiang Muslims and underground Protestant and Catholic churches especially targeted.