BEIJING — The ongoing novel coronavirus epidemic will only have a temporary impact on China's foreign trade, a commerce official said on March 5.

China has rolled out a slew of supportive measures to help foreign trade enterprises resume production and reduce the fallout from the outbreak, Li Xingqian, director of the Department of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Commerce, told an online press conference.

All of the key foreign trade firms in Zhejiang and Tianjin have resumed operations, while over 70 percent of foreign trade companies in Guangdong, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Shandong and Chongqing have resumed production.

With support policies taking effect and more companies returning to work, the country's foreign trade has shown a recovery, Li said.

Although China's exports and imports will be inevitably lower during the first quarter, Li said the positive development trend of the country's foreign trade will not change in the long term.

The ministry will continue to enrich its policy toolkit, aid foreign trade enterprises with more precise measures, help them resume production and maintain the stability of the global supply chain, Li said.