Yang Jiechi, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo by phone on Wednesday at the latter's request, discussing efforts to combat the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) epidemic.
Pompeo conveyed sympathy for the casualties caused by the 2019-nCoV-linked pneumonia in China and expressed appreciation for China's timely response to U.S. concerns after the outbreak of the epidemic.
Pompeo said that the United States is willing to keep in close communication and coordination with and provide necessary assistance for China, in order to jointly deal with the challenge to international health security.
Yang, also director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, said that under the leadership of President Xi Jinping, the Chinese government and people are making every effort to combat the pneumonia epidemic caused by the new virus.
China has established a working mechanism for joint prevention and control with multiple departments involved, and taken resolute and effective measures in Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province, as well as other regions of the country, to contain the spread of the epidemic with all its strength, Yang said.
He noted that China has the confidence and capability to win the battle of epidemic prevention and control.
Since the outbreak of the epidemic, China, in an open, transparent and responsible manner, has promptly informed the World Health Organization (WHO) and relevant countries and regions, including the United States, of the epidemic situation.
In addition to sharing information such as the genetic sequence of the new virus at the first time, China has invited experts from the WHO and Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan regions to do field study in Wuhan, Yang said.
China attaches great importance to the safety of all foreigners in China, including U.S. nationals, Yang said, adding that China stands ready to continue to maintain close coordination and cooperation with the United States.
