China expects to enhance unity, cooperation and coordination with the international community to fight the novel coronavirus pneumonia pandemic and stabilize the global economy at the G20 special summit to be attended by President Xi Jinping, a senior diplomat said on Wednesday.
Ma Zhaoxu, vice-minister of foreign affairs, said China would like to make joint efforts with other members of the Group of 20 to promote more positive outcomes from the special summit on responding to COVID-19.
The summit on Thursday, in the form of a video conference, will be hosted by King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia, which holds the G20 presidency in 2020. Xi will participate in the summit in Beijing.
Xi's participation demonstrates China's firm determination to join hands with the international community to fight the disease and the country's positive gesture in enhancing coordination with other G20 members to stabilize the global economy, Ma Zhaoxu, vice-minister of foreign affairs, said
It will be the first time that G20 leaders attend a video summit, and it also will be the first major multilateral event attended by Xi since the outbreak of the disease.
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Novel coronavirus pneumonia is breaking out in many parts of the world and spreading rapidly, which has serious political, economic and social effects, Ma said, adding that there is an urgent need for the international community to join hands to fight the disease.
The G20, an important platform for global crisis response and economic governance, played an important role in dealing with the 2008 international financial crisis, and it is of great significance for the G20 members to hold a special summit on epidemic control at this critical time, the senior diplomat said.
Xi's participation in the G20 special summit demonstrates China's firm determination to join hands with the international community to fight the disease and the country's positive gesture in enhancing coordination with other G20 members to stabilize the global economy, he said.
China calls on all G20 members to enhance unity, send a strong signal of jointly facing the challenge and boost the confidence of the international community, he said.
Ma said that China has provided help for countries that have found themselves in difficulties. China is helping with disease prevention and control and has shared its experience with other nations, in addition to providing medical materials and conveniences for other countries to make purchases in China.
The vice-minister said the disease has had a grave impact on the global economy, and China's resumption of economic production has played an important role in stabilizing the global industrial and supply chains.
China expects other nations to enhance coordination on macroeconomic policy, take necessary fiscal, monetary and structural policies, and promote the openness of markets to ensure the stability, safety and smooth operation of the global supply chain, he said.
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Jin Yong, a professor of international relations at the Communication University of China, said the G20 special summit is expected to help major countries set aside their disagreements and to join hands to deal with the disease together.
It has great significance for the G20 members, which contribute 85 percent of global GDP, to make joint efforts to prevent a global economic recession, Jin said.
The leaders of G20 nations will be joined by their counterparts from some invited countries, including Spain, Jordan, Singapore and Switzerland, as well as major international organizations, including the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund and the World Health Organization.
On Monday, G20 finance ministers and central bank governors convened in a virtual meeting, during which they agreed on measures to reduce the impacts of the disease on the global economy.
