More than two months after the outbreak of pneumonia, Xi first appeared, seemingly wanting to encourage people in the fight against corona virus.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on February 10 wore a mask to inspect a "frontline" facility against the new strain of corona virus (nCoV) in Chaoyang district, Beijing's capital. This is the first time he has appeared in public since the pneumonia outbreak in Wuhan last December and spread throughout the Chinese provinces.

During the tour, Xi also talked with some locals, including two carrying vegetable bags. Everyone, under government orders, wears masks.

"Please do not shake hands at such a sensitive time," President Xi said. "What is the price of vegetables?", He asked the two villagers.

President Xi is accompanied by high-ranking officials, including Beijing Thai States Party Secretary and Mayor Chen Jining. Photos and videos of the visit were broadcast by all Chinese state news agencies and broadcasters.

If at normal times, this visit is nothing special. However, President Xi's appearance yesterday caught attention when it helped end a relatively long period of time when he evaded the "limelight".

In the past 12 days, the Chinese President met with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, but his image did not appear in the state media, amid the country is facing an outbreak of nCoV disease, a health crisis most urgent public since the SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) epidemic in 2002 to date.

He ceded the task of reassuring the people and encouraging health workers who were fighting the nCoV where the front lines were for other senior officials. It was Prime Minister Li Keqiang, who personally went to the Wuhan epidemic to meet officials and health workers there.

In daily broadcasts or news reports, Chinese state-run media have focused on describing Xi as an active leader directing all efforts to cope with the crisis from behind the scenes, but not Post any pictures of you.

However, his absence cannot fail to attract the attention of domestic and international public opinion. Some Western observers even claim that Xi's long absence is to avoid public attention as well as accusations that China is not responding quickly enough to the outbreak.

"There must be someone responsible for the spreading nCoV disease and he probably doesn't want to be that person," said Bruce Dickson, a China expert at George Washington University in the US.

The recent death of Dr. Ly Van Luong, one of the first to warn about the nCoV, has sparked a wave of anger demanding to question the responsibilities of officials and authorities. In the context that people tend to blame the government for not being able to prevent the epidemic from spreading, Xi suddenly appeared in the media.

"This appearance gives the political impression that Xi is trying to balance the role of a tough leader and a populist leader," said independent political scientist Chen Daoyin.

According to Chen, the late Chinese leader Mao Zedong once ran a job from the backstage during a crisis, but "sometimes, he still had to show his connection with the people."

It's unclear whether Xi's appearance is intended to ease the frustration of part of the population, but the message the Chinese president wants to make is clear: Trust the government in its efforts to fight. anti nCoV, expert review.

According to state media, during the visit, Xi admitted that the situation was still serious, but added that the Chinese leadership would take more measures to prevent the virus from spreading and stabilize the platform. economy. He asserted that China would win the virus.

Countries with nCoV pneumonia patients. Click on image to see details.