China mulls postponing annual parliament session amid coronavirus spread

China is considering a rare move to postpone its annual parliament session scheduled to be held in early March as country grapples with coronavirus outbreak that has claimed over 1,700 lives, official media reported on Monday.

13th National People's Congress (NPC), country's top legislature, is due to hold its annual session in Beijing on March 5, according to an official anuncement in December last year. But amid spre of coronavirus (COVID-19), NPC Standing Committee is to discuss postponing this year's NPC plenary session, state-run China Daily said in a brief report.

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If NPC, which is held every year along with visory body Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), is postponed, it will be regarded as an unprecedented move. ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) considers two sessions as significant political event to opt its national nda, including annual budgets.

Toger NPC and CPPCC have over 5,000 delegates. China is discouraging large garing to prevent spre of virus. postponement is reportedly being contemplated as coronavirus continued its virulent run, though officials say it is slowing down.

China reported 105 new deaths due to coronavirus on Monday, increasing overall death toll to 1,770. National Health Commission said 2,048 new cases of virus have been confirmed, taking total number of infected cases to 70,548, Xinhua news ncy reported. 

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