BEIJING — State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a phone conversation with New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters on Feb 1 amid global efforts to tackle the novel coronavirus outbreak.

Peters said the government and people of New Zealand extend condolences and solicitude to the deceased and bereaved families in the epidemic, and highly evaluate China's decisive actions and strong mobilization ability, especially the quick establishment of two new hospitals in Wuhan city, the center of the novel coronavirus outbreak in Central China.

New Zealand stands ready to offer medical supply assistance within its capability to the Chinese side, and believes that China will eventually win the fight against the epidemic, Peters said.

Wang expressed gratitude for New Zealand's support.

He said the Chinese government has made the epidemic prevention and containment its top priority. China has established a national mechanism for joint prevention and control and achieved obvious results in various fields, he added.

China is confident in and capable of winning the fight against the epidemic as soon as possible, so as to safeguard the safety and health of the Chinese people and at the same time contribute to international public health.

From the very beginning, China has adopted a responsible attitude, informed the international community in an open and transparent way in a timely manner, actively responded to the concerns of all parties, and has been committed to strengthening international public health, Wang said.

Noting that World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has spoken highly of China's strong measures against the epidemic and expressed confidence in China's victory, Wang pointed out that the WHO believes that the Chinese actions have gone well beyond the requirements by the International Health Regulations and recommendations by the WHO, and that the WHO disfavors imposing travel or trade restrictions on China.

Wang expressed his belief that New Zealand will fully respect WHO's important recommendations, maintain normal exchanges and economic and trade cooperation between the two countries, and firmly support China in preventing and controlling the epidemic.

Peters said he understands and respects China's position and believes that it is necessary to maintain normal exchanges and personnel flows, adding that New Zealand will continue to communicate and coordinate with China to properly respond to the challenge of the epidemic.