A woman wearing a face mask walks through a commercial zone in downtown Sao Paulo, Brazil, March 12, 2020. (Xinhua/Rahel Patrasso)
Xi said China is ready to provide assistance within its capacity for Brazil and contribute to curbing the global spread of the disease.
BEIJING, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said Tuesday night that China stands ready to provide assistance within its capacity for Brazil's battle against COVID-19 and help contain the global spread of the coronavirus disease.
He made the remarks in a phone conversation with his Brazilian counterpart, Jair Bolsonaro.
On behalf of the Chinese government and people, Xi extended sincere sympathies and firm support to the Brazilian government and people over their fight against COVID-19.
Noting that the disease has recently broken out in many parts around the world and been spreading rapidly, Xi said the top priority now is for countries to strengthen cooperation.
Upholding the notion of a community with a shared future for mankind, and with an open, transparent and responsible attitude, China has been releasing epidemic information in a timely manner, said Xi.
China, he added, has also been sharing prevention, control and treatment experience with the World Health Organization and the international community without reservation, and doing its best to provide assistance for other parties.
Xi said he follows the outbreak in Brazil closely, and hopes that Brazil will arrest the epidemic's spread as soon as possible.
Noting that China and Latin American and Caribbean countries held a video conference on epidemic prevention and control on Tuesday, Xi said China is ready to provide assistance within its capacity for Brazil and contribute to curbing the global spread of the disease.
Xi stressed that the international community has already arrived at a consensus that China made enormous sacrifices in the fight against COVID-19 and bought precious time for the world.
As comprehensive strategic partners, he said, China and Brazil need to maintain strategic focus, support each other on their respective core interests and major concerns, and jointly send to the international community a message of solidarity and a positive signal that they are in the COVID-19 battle together.
Meanwhile, the two countries should push forward practical cooperation in various fields, enhance communication and coordination within such multilateral frameworks as the G20 and BRICS, and jointly safeguard and advance their comprehensive strategic partnership, Xi added.
The Chinese president said he is confident that China and Brazil will certainly beat the disease hand in hand and lift their all-round cooperation to higher levels.
For his part, Bolsonaro said that the COVID-19 epidemic is spreading in Brazil, and that the Brazilian side thanks China for facilitating its purchase of necessary medical supplies in China.
Brazil, he added, hopes to enhance exchanges on epidemic prevention and control with China, make joint efforts against the coronavirus disease, and contain its spread in Brazil as soon as possible.
The Brazilian president said he salutes the great Chinese people, reiterating that the friendship and the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries are indestructible.
Brazil stands ready to strengthen bilateral cooperation with China, and enhance communication and coordination within such multilateral frameworks as the G20, so as to make due contributions to combating the epidemic and reinvigorating the economy, he said. ■
