China supports UN, WHO playing due roles in global anti-epidemic cooperation: Xi

BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping said Friday that China firmly supports the United Nations and the World Health Organization in playing their due roles in international cooperation against the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a telephone conversation with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Xi stressed that China stands ready to work with Hungary and other members of the international community to effectively carry out joint prevention and control efforts and resolutely curb the spread of the coronavirus disease.

Xi also called for concerted efforts to strengthen macroeconomic policy coordination to jointly address the challenges the pandemic has brought to the world economy.

He noted that during the special period of jointly combating COVID-19, the Chinese and Hungarian peoples have been helping and supporting each other.

China firmly supports the Hungarian government and people in their anti-epidemic efforts, and will continue to provide as much assistance as its capacity allows for the European country, Xi said, adding that he believes that under Orban's strong leadership, the hard-working Hungarian people will surely win the battle at an early date.

Xi pointed out that through the test of the joint fight against the pandemic, the traditional friendship between the two countries will grow even deeper and bilateral cooperation will embrace broader prospects.

He called on the two sides to actively plan the development of bilateral relations after the pandemic, maintain high-level contact, strengthen cooperation in such traditional areas as economy, trade and investment, actively explore cooperation in such new fields as digital economy and artificial intelligence, and promote cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

Xi said he looks forward to meeting with Orban at an early date after the pandemic, so as to help lift the China-Hungary comprehensive strategic partnership as well as cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European countries (CEECs) to higher levels.

Orban, for his part, said he congratulates the Chinese people on having successfully contained the COVID-19 epidemic through arduous efforts.

He added that the Hungarian people will not forget and is deeply grateful for the timely assistance China has provided for Hungary's fight against the disease, including urgently-needed medical protective supplies.

Hungary always firmly adheres to the one-China policy, he stressed.

He noted that Hungary and China have carried out good cooperation in high-tech fields, which has promoted Hungary's economic development.

Hungary, he said, is willing to strengthen cooperation with China in such fields as economy, trade and finance, and will continue as always to support and participate in CEEC-China cooperation.