China says Xi will visit Japan at the most appropriate time

Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit Japan at the most appropriate time, a foreign ministry spokesman said on Thursday, after Tokyo confirmed that a planned state visit in early April had been delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters at a news briefing in Beijing that the two countries will maintain close communication on the timing of Xi's visit without elaborating further.

Asked about reports that Japan will impose a quarantine on travelers from China, Zhao said he was not aware of the reports but that both countries will take proper measures based on the development of the epidemic.