Xi Visits Flood-Hit North China as Deluge Pummels South
(Bloomberg) -- Chinese leader Xi Jinping visited areas of northern China that were hit by deadly floods earlier this summer for the first time as southern parts of the nation face torrential downpours.Most Read from BloombergApple’s 2-Day Slide Nears $200 Billion on China IPhone CurbsHong Kong Shuts Down City After Heaviest Rainfall On RecordTrudeau Says There’s No Room for Political Rapprochement With ChinaChina Seeks to Broaden iPhone Ban to State Firms, Agencies‘Blame the Boomers’ for Surging House Prices, Barclays SaysXi traveled to Shangzhi, in the northeastern province of Heilongjiang, on Thursday, the official Xinhua News Agency said in a brief report. He visited rice fields and reviewed repairs on homes and infrastructure, it said.“I am concerned about the disaster-stricken places,” Xi told a group of villagers in a video clip posted on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter, by Hu Xijin, former editor of the state-backed Global Times newspaper.“In China, when the p
(Bloomberg) -- Chinese leader Xi Jinping visited areas of northern China that were hit by deadly floods earlier this summer for the first time as southern parts of the nation face torrential downpours.
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Xi traveled to Shangzhi, in the northeastern province of Heilongjiang, on Thursday, the official Xinhua News Agency said in a brief report. He visited rice fields and reviewed repairs on homes and infrastructure, it said.
“I am concerned about the disaster-stricken places,” Xi told a group of villagers in a video clip posted on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter, by Hu Xijin, former editor of the state-backed Global Times newspaper.
“In China, when the people encounter difficulties, we want to give play to the superiority of our socialism. That is, when trouble occurs at one spot, help comes from all quarters, and the state gives its full support.”
Xi was criticized last month by some people living near the capital who suspected floodwaters were diverted to their areas to protect projects important to the Chinese leader, namely a new airport and city being built near Beijing called Xiong’an.
See: China Official’s Call to Save Xi’s City Angers Flood Victims
The flooding from heavy rains brought by a typhoon killed at least 80 people and prompted Xi to hold a meeting of the seven-member Politburo Standing Committee on Aug. 17 to urge speedy repairs of transport, communications and electricity facilities.
Xi’s visit to the northeast comes as Hong Kong and the southern province of Guangdong deal with torrential rain. The former British colony suspended schools on Friday, and the stock market delayed the start of trading.
More: Hong Kong Shuts Down City After Heaviest Rainfall Since 1884
Guangdong issued its second-highest alert for flooding, and the tech hub of Shenzhen warned about heavy rains in some areas. Some train services in the city that’s home to Tencent Holdings Ltd. were halted, and officials started discharging water from a reservoir as it approached its limit.
Nearby Guangzhou and Zhuhai also raised alerts for heavy downpours.
--With assistance from Olivia Tam.
(Updates with Guangdong issuing flood warning.)
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