Travellers wearing face masks disembark at Changi international airport in Singapore on Jan 30, 2020. (ROSLAN RAHMAN / AFP)

BEIJING - Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday held phone talks with Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, who expressed full confidence in China's fight against the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak.

Singapore is willing to keep close communication with the Chinese side and actively provide support and assistance, the Singaporean foreign minister said

Balakrishnan said that Singapore admires China's vigorous fight against the novel coronavirus epidemic and firmly supports various efforts by China.

Urging the international community to cooperatively cope with the challenge of the epidemic, he said that Singapore highly appreciates China's prompt sharing of relevant information.

ALSO READ: Singapore ramps up virus fight as three cases confirmed

Singapore is willing to keep close communication with the Chinese side and actively provide support and assistance, the Singaporean foreign minister said.

Compared with the battle against the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003, China's current technologies, experience and abilities in coping with such challenges have been enhanced remarkably, he said.

Singapore is fully confident that China will finally win the battle against the novel coronavirus epidemic, he noted.

For his part, Wang said that at present, the Chinese government and people are sparing no effort to fight the coronavirus epidemic and are pushing forward infection prevention and control in a scientific, orderly and precise manner, which has gradually yielded good results, adding that China is absolutely confident about, capable of and sure of eventually winning the battle against the epidemic.

Wang appreciated the fact that people from various circles and non-governmental organizations in Singapore have recently expressed their understanding of and support for China's battle against the novel coronavirus epidemic.

READ MORE: Coronavirus: China says 7,711 infected, 170 dead

This has once again embodied the Chinese and Singaporean people's excellent tradition of always supporting and helping one another, Wang said, recalling the China-ASEAN leaders' special meeting on SARS sent a positive signal of facing difficulties together at that time.

The Chinese side believes that this time, China and ASEAN nations will also maintain close cooperation to overcome challenges posed by the outbreak of the coronavirus, Wang said.