Outbreak A Major Challenge For Communist Party: Xi

President Xi Jinping said on Tuesday that controlling the coronavirus outbreak is a major challenge to the mainland's governance system and officials’ ability to run the country.

He was speaking during a visit to Anji county in Zhejiang province.

Xi said the reason why the Communist Party is so successful is because it learns from its mistakes, correcting and perfecting itself. He didn't elaborate.

The Covid-19 outbreak began in Wuhan late last year, before the virus spread rapidly around the globe, and China has been accused of failing to warn the world about the danger of the deadly virus in a timely manner.

On a visit to a conflict resolution centre, Xi told staff that dealing with disputes is a fundamental task to ensure stability in the long-term.

He also spoke to villagers in Yucun, where he stressed the importance of protecting the environment. He said all ecological protection efforts will be rewarded.