Chinese Leader Xi Jinping Makes Rare Appearance with Mask On

©iStock/Robert Wei

President Xi Jinping of China, who had been noticeably absent from public view since the coronavirus outbreak escalated into a crisis, toured several public places in Beijing on Monday [2/10/20) afternoon. The appearances seemed aimed at countering criticism that Mr. Xi has been aloof amid rising public discontent with his government’s struggle to contain the crisis.

The last time Mr. Xi had appeared in public was at a meeting last week with Cambodia’s prime minister. Mr. Xi has yet to visit the epicenter of the outbreak, Wuhan, 600 miles to the south in Hubei Province.

Read more about the coronavirus outbreak, President Xi Jinping's aloofness amid the crisis, and what else you need to know on where things stand on the latest national numbers for the epidemic.