BEIJING — The China-World Health Organization (WHO) joint expert team visited Hubei province, epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak, over the weekend to conduct field investigations, according to the National Health Commission (NHC).

The experts visited Tongji Hospital, the Wuhan Sports Center that was converted into a temporary hospital, and the provincial center for disease control and prevention to learn about epidemic prevention and control as well as medical treatment, the NHC said.

They also talked with officials and experts in the province and briefed the NHC director Ma Xiaowei on their findings and suggestions.

Ma reiterated that China's forceful measures against the epidemic are not only responsible for the health of the Chinese people, but also a contribution to global public health.

"China is confident and determined to win this battle against the epidemic," he said, adding that China will make efforts to coordinate epidemic fight and economic and social development.

China will continue improving its mechanism for major epidemic prevention and control, strengthening the national public health emergency response and management system, and stepping up cooperation with the WHO, he said.

Ma thanked the experts for coming to work in China at a key stage of the epidemic fight and for their valuable suggestions to China and the world in better combating the virus.