President affirms support for WHO

Emphasis placed on world health in his talks with Myanmar, Bangladesh leaders

China will continue to support the World Health Organization playing a leading role and join hands with other countries to win the battle against the novel coronavirus and defend global public health security, President Xi Jinping said.

Xi made the remark in phone conversations with Myanmar President U Win Myint and Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday night, two days after he called for building a global community of health for all when addressing the opening of the World Health Assembly, the WHO's governing body.

When speaking with his Myanmar counterpart, Xi said China will continue to provide firm support and assistance within its capacity to Myanmar in accordance with its needs.

The Myanmar government and all sectors of society offered a hand to China after the COVID-19 outbreak, Xi said, adding that the Chinese people now are also concerned about the situation in the neighboring country.

China has donated anti-epidemic materials to Myanmar and sent two groups of medical experts to fight the virus shoulder-to-shoulder with Myanmar's medical workers.

This fully shows the pauk-phaw (fraternal) friendship between the two peoples and explains the spirit of a community with a shared future between the two countries, Xi said.

The president also said that he hopes the two sides will work together closely to implement the fruits of his state visit to Myanmar in January.

While making ongoing efforts to contain the virus, Xi called on the two sides to steadily promote exchanges and cooperation in all areas and push for positive progress from the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor project.

U Win Myint underscored the significance for all countries of strengthening cooperation and safeguarding international justice while facing the pandemic. He said his country will continue to deepen friendship and cooperation with China to push forward their strategic partnership.

In his phone call with Sheikh Hasina, Xi said China will send a team of medical experts to Bangladesh as COVID-19 continues to spread in South Asia.

Given the arduous prevention tasks, China will continue to offer firm support and help within its capacity according to Bangladeshi requests, he said. Xi stressed that China is opposed to any act that disrupts international cooperation or harms global anti-epidemic efforts, especially efforts by developing countries.

Emphasizing that China and Bangladesh are traditional friendly neighbors as well as important development partners, Xi called on the two nations to consolidate their strategic partnership and deepen the joint building of the Belt and Road.

While ensuring anti-epidemic efforts, China is willing to work with Bangladesh to gradually create favorable conditions for resuming key cooperation projects and keeping the industrial and supply chains stable, Xi said. In doing so, a good foundation for bilateral cooperation in all areas after the pandemic will be laid, he added.

Hasina expressed appreciation for China's support and assistance when her country was faced with difficulty in fighting the pandemic. She also thanked China for taking care of Bangladeshi students in China, especially in Wuhan, the country's hardest-hit city.

Her country is willing to jointly build the Belt and Road with China and constantly develop the Bangladesh-China strategic partnership, she said.