Speaking on China's medical aid at a regular press conference on 18 March, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said doing what China can to assist other countries and international organizations in pandemic control is both an act of responsibility and an effort to lock in previous gains. He said China is ready to further step up international cooperation on COVID-19.

He noted the simultaneous outbreak and rapid spread of the disease in multiple countries. While making an all-out effort to defeat the virus at home, China is actively engaged in international cooperation and assisting other countries and international organizations to the best of its ability. It is an act of responsibility on our part that would help consolidate the gains that have been made.

As far as he is aware, the Chinese government has delivered medical supplies to Pakistan, Laos, Thailand, Iran, the ROK, Japan and the African Union, made a donation of $20 million to WHO, and announced readiness to do what it can to provide supplies to the European Union and dozens of countries including Italy, France, Spain, Greece, Serbia, Cambodia, the Philippines, Egypt, South Africa, Iraq, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Cuba and Chile. China also supports the procurement of medical supplies by friendly countries from the Chinese market. In addition to assistance provided at by the central government, sub-national governments, businesses and non-government institutions in China also made donations to relevant countries. Moreover, China has sent medical teams to Iran, Iraq and Italy, and held video conferences with other countries and international organizations to share its experience on diagnostics and therapeutics and on epidemic control.

Geng said, faced with the severity of a global spread, China will continue to work with all parties to strengthen international cooperation, collectively tackle the challenge of this pandemic and promote a community with a shared future for mankind.