Nation's fight against virus effective, NPC's Tam says

HONG KONG - The battle against COVID-19 caused by a novel coronavirus has demonstrated the central government's administrative capabilities as it resulted in concerted efforts nationwide in an organized and effective manner, Hong Kong's deputy to the National People's Congress Standing Committee said on Monday.

Tam Yiu-chung made the remarks after attending a meeting of the NPC Standing Committee via a video call at the Hong Kong Liaison Office building in Sai Wan.

Deputies at the meeting approved a draft decision to postpone the annual sessions of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and the National People's Congress, the nation's biggest annual political event commonly known as the "two sessions".

Tam, also a former member of Hong Kong's Legislative Council, said a date for this year's two sessions will be fixed later after the central government had carefully considered the current situation with an epidemic raging.

Meeting reporters after the NPC meeting, Tam said that the Liaison Office had been briefed on the situation of about 2,000 Hong Kong residents stranded in central China's Hubei province, the epicenter of the novel coronavirus epidemic.

Also on Monday, the NPC approved a draft decision to ban wildlife trade.