BEIJING — China's education and foreign affairs departments have made all-out efforts to protect the health and safety of Chinese students studying in foreign countries as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread overseas, an education official said in an interview.

Wang Dengfeng, director of a leading group office on the COVID-19 response of the Ministry of Education, listed some of the measures China has taken to help Chinese students abroad and their families.

Amid a general shortage of epidemic relief materials abroad, Chinese embassies and consulates have handed out health kits containing protective equipment and other items to Chinese students in a timely manner, especially those in countries seriously hit by COVID-19.

A monitoring and daily reporting system have been established where the emergency response will be initiated immediately after the detection of any suspected or confirmed case among the students, according to Wang.

In the meantime, 24-hour medical services and psychological counseling provided by Chinese universities are available for Chinese students abroad and counseling hotlines are in service for both students abroad and their family members at home.

Chinese diplomatic missions have also worked to communicate with local universities, asking for proper arrangements of Chinese students' study and life amid local authorities' virus control measures, said Wang.

Wang also pledged to further improve and make more detailed plans of epidemic prevention and control concerning Chinese students abroad.