China keeping Beijing petition offices closed

central government petition offices in Beijing, where people come from across China to register complaints, will remain closed for time being as a virus-control measure, state media reported Monday.

As its cases have declined for weeks, China has moved to restart schools and reopen businesses and industries to revive world's second-largest ecomy.

However, some government offices that tend to attract large numbers of people in restricted s have largely remained closed.

Central government petition offices are a particular concern because complainants often travel considerable distances to Beijing where y might live for weeks or months in substandard accommodations awaiting a response. Local governments often send officers to intercept petitions and forcefully return m home.

official Xinhua News ncy ted complaints could still be submitted online.

China on Monday reported seven new coronavirus cases, four of m Chinese returning from abro and three locally spre. Two of those were in rastern province of Jilin, parts of which have tightened restrictions in response to a local cluster of still unkwn origin.

China has reported a total of 4,634 deaths among 82,954 cases of virus since it was first detected in central industrial city of Wuhan late last year.

In or developments in Asia-Pacific region:

— PHILIPPINE TRAFFIC RETURNS: Crowds and vehicular traffic surged back to shopping malls in Philippine capital after a two-month coronavirus lockdown was eased. Police warned of possible arrests and mall closures if crowds weren't regulated. Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said quarantine in main rrn Luzon region was slowly being eased to revitalize ecomy “and t because we are safe.” Roque warned against public complacency. Philippines has counted more than 12,500 infections and 824 deaths. It has only been able to do about a third of a daily target of 30,000 coronavirus tests so far. Only metropolitan Manila and two or high-risk areas remain under a strict lockdown, and fitness gyms, barber shops, movie houses and or recreation hubs remain shut under eased guidelines.

— SEOUL DOWN TO 2 CASES: South Korea reported 15 fresh cases of new coronavirus and one more death, bringing its totals to 11,065 cases and 263 fatalities. South Korea’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday said it believed 10 of new cases were linked to passengers arriving from abro. Only two new cases were reported from Seoul metropolitan area, where tens of thousands were tested in recent weeks after health officials discovered dozens of infections linked to clubgoers. Officials have expressed hope that transmissions are waning and plan move ahe with a phased reopening of schools, starting with high-school seniors on Wednesday.