"The epidemiological situation in the world is changing rapidly. As we work to prevent the epidemic within the country, we will continue to maintain an open and responsible position and actively develop international cooperation in combating the epidemic, share our experience in the prevention of spread and methods of treating the disease", Ma said at a news conference in Beijing.
He went on to express gratitude to the international community for helping out China during the peak of the epidemic.
A man in a protective suit rides a shared bicycle at an intersection in Wuhan, the epicentre of the novel coronavirus outbreak, Hubei province, China March 4, 2020
© REUTERS / STRINGER
"I want to emphasize that we will never forget the helping hand extended to us by the international community. We are ready to provide all possible assistance to countries in which the epidemiological situation is relatively difficult", the diplomat said.
Ma then announced that China would send urgent medical supplies to South Korea and was considering making a significant contribution to the World Health Organisation.
Although new coronavirus cases in China have plateaued in recent weeks, with most regions reporting no new cases, the epidemic has gone global and established hotspots in South Korea, Iran and Italy.
As of Thursday, more than 95,000 cases of the coronavirus have been reported globally, with more than 3,200 deaths, a vast majority of which were in China’s Hubei province where the virus originated. At the same time, more than 53,000 people have recovered.
