Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke with Indonesian government's Coordinator for Cooperation with China Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan by phone on Friday, discussing efforts to combat and control the novel coronavirus epidemic.
On behalf of the Indonesian government and people, Luhut, also the country's Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Affairs, expressed sincere sympathy to the Chinese people who are fighting the pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus.
He said Indonesia highly praises the efforts taken by China to prevent and control the epidemic, adding that if the outbreak had occurred elsewhere, it would be difficult to contain it so effectively.
At this difficult time, Indonesia feels China's pains and stands ready to do its best to provide support and help to the Chinese friends, Luhut said.
Indonesia is confident that under the strong leadership of Chinese President Xi Jinping, China will definitely defeat the epidemic, he added.
For his part, Wang thanked the Indonesian government and people for their support and assistance to China in the fight against the outbreak, adding that the Chinese people have come together, and race against the clock to win the fight against the epidemic.
China has put in place a nationwide mechanism and taken the most thorough and rigorous measures, which are gradually yielding results, he added.
With the persevering efforts of the Chinese people and the strong support of friendly countries, China is fully confident of defeating the epidemic, Wang said.
The outbreak will not change the internal driving force and the resilience of the Chinese economy, Wang said, adding that the Chinese economy will maintain its good momentum in the long run.
The Chinese side has the ability to minimize the impact of the outbreak and maintain its sustained and stable economic growth, he added.
Wang said that the Chinese government upholds the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind, and not only cares about the health of its own people, but also takes a responsible attitude towards the health of the people from the rest of world.
China will continue to adhere to the principle of openness and transparency, share information with Indonesia and other countries in a timely manner, and accommodate the legitimate concerns of all parties, Wang added.
He also said the fact that confirmed cases outside China account for less than 1 percent of all cases of infection is a testimony to China's enormous efforts.
The World Health Organization (WHO) director-general has praised China's prevention and control measures for the country's contribution to global public health. The UN health agency also made it clear that it does not recommend any travel or trade restriction. Meanwhile, the International Civil Aviation Organization has also urged countries to follow the WHO recommendations.
Wang said that the Chinese side hopes and also believes that Indonesia will respect the professional advice of the international organizations, and maintain the stable development of bilateral relations and practical cooperation with China.
