BEIJING — The China-Africa friendship is rock-solid and will not be affected by a single incident, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on April 13.

During a phone conversation with Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat, Wang said China and Africa, as comprehensive strategic cooperative partners, should strengthen coordination and cooperation in response to the common challenge of COVID-19.

Wang said China bears in mind that at the difficult moment in its fight to contain the novel coronavirus outbreak, the AU and countries of Africa have rendered China support, and clearly opposed any attempt to politicize the epidemic and tagging the virus, which fully demonstrated the brotherly ties between China and Africa, who have shared weal and woe, and the high level of bilateral strategic cooperation.

As COVID-19 is spreading in Africa, Wang noted that President Xi Jinping specifically talked via telephone with South African, Egyptian and other African leaders to express his sympathy and support, and urged the international community to beef up aid to the African continent at the extraordinary leaders' summit of the Group of 20 (G20) major economies.

Facing the pressure of the anti-pandemic battle itself, China managed to send emergency aid to its African brothers, providing large amounts of urgently needed goods and materials to the AU and African countries through various channels, Wang said.

China will provide more medical supplies Africa needs, share anti-pandemic experience with its African brothers, dispatch medial experts, assist in the purchase of goods and materials in China, and deepen China-Africa cooperation in the public health sector, he said.

Wang pledged that China will stand firmly with Africa and fight COVID-19 in unity with its African brothers and sisters until a complete victory over the virus on the African continent is achieved.

Regarding the problems reported by some African friends on the anti-epidemic work by some Chinese local governments, Wang stressed that the Chinese side is dedicated to maintaining the health and safety of all Chinese and foreign nationals, and treats all foreigners in China equally.

China opposes any differential practices targeting specific communities, he said.

China has always stuck to its friendly policies towards Africa and the two sides are good brothers and good battle companions standing together through thick and thin, Wang said.

The traditional friendship between China and Africa has withstood the test of history and changes in the international situation, is rock-solid and unbreakable, and will definitely not be affected by a single incident or the instigation of some forces, he said.

Under the current circumstances, China and Africa need mutual trust, mutual support and solidarity to tide over this difficult time more than ever, he added.

For his part, Faki said he completely agrees with Wang regarding the friendly relationship between Africa and China.

African countries and China share a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, and the two sides are both friends and comrades-in-arms whose destinies are closely linked, Faki said, adding that nothing can change or damage their friendly ties.

Noting that China is working hard to prevent a resurgence of the pandemic within the country, he said he believes that the Asian country will not take any discriminatory practices in the process of prevention and control work.

The African side will not forget China's support during its national liberation and independence struggles, the elimination of racial segregation, and the continent's social and economic development, Faki said, adding that Africa specially thanks China for its emergency assistance to help the continent fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

The two sides share a sacred mission of safeguarding the Africa-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, and will never let those forces who are trying to exploit the current situation to sow discord between Africa and China have their way, he said.

Africa will continue to stand firmly with China, he added.