BEIJING — Vice-Premier Hu Chunhua called for all-out efforts to keep the foreign trade and investment stable and ensure the supply of daily necessities to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus outbreak.

Hu, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks on Feb 28 at a teleconference with commercial departments across the country.

Commercial authorities should take stabilizing foreign trade and investment and ensuring the supply of daily necessities as their major tasks, Hu said, underlining moves to safeguard the supply of daily necessities in key areas and maintain smooth operation of the market.

He stressed facilitating production resumption of foreign trade enterprises in a steady and orderly manner, making more active and effective use of foreign capital and ensuring smooth clearance of important materials.

Citing the important role of foreign trade enterprises and foreign-invested enterprises, Hu urged governments at all levels to provide more precise services and create good environments to help enterprises tide over difficulties and achieve greater development.