(Recasts throughout, adds more regional details)
By Patpicha Tanakasempipat and Keith Zhai
VIENTIANE, Feb 20 (Reuters) - China called for solidarity on
Thursday in a special meeting called to discuss the coronavirus
outbreak with Southeast Asian nations, as Beijing faces
criticism for its handling of the epidemic.
The hastily called gathering in Laos suggested China is
seeking support from its smaller neighbours, which have received
billions of dollars in Chinese investment and infrastructure in
recent years as a key part of its Belt and Road Initiative.
ASEAN foreign ministers joined hands with their Chinese
counterpart Wang Yi during the meeting and shouted "Stay strong,
Wuhan! Stay strong, China! Stay strong, ASEAN!". Wuhan is the
Chinese city at the epicentre of the outbreak.
"Fear is more threatening than the virus and confidence is
more precious than gold," Wang told a news conference after the
meeting, which started with the playing of a video clip of
Southeast Asian leaders expressing their support for China.
In remarks during a welcome dinner on Wednesday evening,
Wang was quoted by the Chinese Foreign Ministry as saying
support from ASEAN countries and others "made us feel that this
winter is not that cold and spring is coming".
Analysts said Beijing was seeking expressions of support
after it was taken to task for its handling of the outbreak of
the new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, which has killed more than
2,100 people. "China is promoting a message of friendships in ASEAN to
counter the attack from the West that it has been handling the
outbreak poorly," said Alfred M. Wu, associate professor in the
Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University
of Singapore.
"LITMUS TEST"
ASEAN and China, its largest trading partner, have an annual
travel flow of more than 65 million visits, and many ASEAN
economies are reliant on Chinese tourist receipts. ASEAN nations
collectively are also China's second-largest trading partner.
But travel restrictions to prevent the spread of the disease
have idled much of the world's No. 2 economy and choked key
elements of President Xi Jinping's signature Belt and Road
Initiative (BRI) of railways, ports and highways. "Countries' responses to the coronavirus have become
somewhat of a litmus test for friendship," said Tom Baxter, an
independent researcher on China's BRI.
"In ASEAN, responses seem quite divided between countries.
The two that seem to have most obviously come out with a display
of friendship are Cambodia and Laos," he said, noting the
open-door practices of China's known allies.
In contrast, Singapore has imposed an outright ban, and the
Philippines has barred all foreign nationals coming from China,
Hong Kong and Macau. Malaysia has imposed a temporary travel ban
on arrivals from all Chinese provinces that have been placed
under lockdown by the Chinese government.
Even as the meeting kicked off, Thailand on Thursday issued
a travel advisory urging citizens to avoid non-essential travel
to China and advised those already there to leave, hinting that
flights to China could be further restricted.
Easing travel restrictions was one of the main issues Wang
discussed with his counterparts during private bilateral
meetings late into Wednesday, according to press statements from
the Chinese foreign ministry.
In a Wednesday night meeting with Singapore's foreign
minister, Vivian Balakrishnan, Wang said Beijing was worried
about Singapore's "restrictive measures" and hoped "normal
exchanges between the two countries can be resumed as soon as
possible."