BEIJING — Premier Li Keqiang pledged on March 11 timely support for contact-based service firms, in particular small ones that have suffered the most amid the COVID-19 epidemic, in an effort to stabilize employment and economy.

The government has rolled out multiple supportive policies, including tax refunds of 180 billion yuan (about $28 billion) for sectors from catering to transport and tourism, the Premier said at a press conference after the closing of the fifth session of the 13th National People's Congress.