Is it legal for commercial property lessees to ask owners to reduce rents during the novel coronavirus epidemic?

Legal analysis: you can ask the landlord to waive the rent for a certain period of time. But not all tenants have the right to ask for rent reduction. For example, this epidemic has no impact on all pharmaceutical industries, supermarkets and other shops that protect people's livelihood. These shops can operate normally, and it is impossible to ask for rent reduction or rent-free for such shops that fail to achieve the purpose of the contract or fail to fulfill the lease contract because of the epidemic.

Legal basis: Article 590 of the Civil Code of People's Republic of China (PRC). If the contract cannot be performed due to force majeure, the liability shall be exempted in part or in whole according to the influence of force majeure, unless otherwise stipulated by law. If the contract cannot be performed due to force majeure, the other party shall be informed in time to reduce the possible losses to the other party and provide proof within a reasonable time. If force majeure occurs after the delay in performance, the parties concerned shall not be exempted from the liability for breach of contract.