BEIJING -- As the "two sessions" continue, President Xi Jinping specially joined a group discussion with national lawmakers from Central China's Hubei province Sunday afternoon, showing his great care for the COVID-19-hit province and its resumption of production.

After hearing the remarks of five deputies with the Hubei panel to the National People's Congress, the national legislature, Xi commended the vital contributions and enormous sacrifices made by the people in Hubei and its capital city Wuhan in fighting COVID-19, and expressed his sincere appreciation.

As the province hardest hit by the virus and with the longest span of restrictions, Hubei faces major difficulties in reviving its economy, Xi said, urging the province to accelerate production resumption while going all out to implement regular epidemic prevention and control.