What’s new: Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister James Marape has returned to his home country after he tested positive for Covid-19 upon arrival in Beijing on Thursday to attend the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics, according to the governments of both countries.
Prior to this flight home, Marape held a virtual talk with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang Saturday where they discussed bilateral trade matters, the Papua New Guinea statement said, while adding that a subsequent French leg of his trip was aborted “due to Covid-19 restrictions.”
On Monday, in response to a question about Marape’s positive test result, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at a press conference that the Papua New Guinea delegation “complied meticulously with Covid-19 protocols for the Olympics during their stay in China.”
“The Chinese side promptly arranged for medical experts to conduct diagnosis and treatment … We wish Prime Minister Marape a speedy recovery,” Zhao added.
The background: Marape was among the more than 30 global leaders scheduled to attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics. Leaders who arrived last week for the ceremony include Russian President Vladimir Putin and Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan.
On Jan. 24, Marape received his Covid vaccine booster shot, according to a statement published by the island country’s Information Center for Covid-19.
Contact reporter Wang Xintong (xintongwang@caixin.com) and editor Bertrand Teo (bertrandteo@caixin.com)
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