On 31 January, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi answered a phone call from Canadian Foreign Minister François-Philippe Champagne.

On behalf of the Canadian government and people, Champagne expressed sympathies to the Chinese people affected by the novel coronavirus. He said that the Canadian side is impressed by all the efforts China has deployed as well as its open and transparent approach, and expressed Canada’s full confidence in China’s ability to contain the outbreak. As the two countries have the tradition of helping each other, the Canadian side is ready to provide assistance, and believes that China will ultimately prevail.

Wang said that the Chinese government and people are doing the utmost to contain and mitigate the outbreak. Our efforts on various fronts are paying off, and we have the confidence, capacity and determination to defeat the outbreak.

He cited President Xi Jinping’s important instructions on multiple occasions that people’s life, safety and health must come first. The Chinese government has decided to send chartered flights to bring home its citizens from Hubei, especially those from Wuhan, who are currently stranded overseas. The decision underscores the commitment of a responsible government to addressing the needs and concerns of its own people. Internationally, China is ready to step up cooperation with Canada and the rest of the international community to jointly counter the outbreak and safeguard global public health security.

Wang said that the WHO emphasized, at yesterday’s briefing on the outbreak, that it does not recommend and actually opposes travel or trade restrictions against China, and that it continues to have confidence in China’s ability to control the outbreak. The Chinese side hopes that the Canadian side will act in an objective and fact-based spirit, respect this clear recommendation from the WHO, and see to it that the travel and trade between China and Canada will not be affected.