Timeline of China Releasing Information on COVID-19 and Advancing International Cooperation

COVID-19 experts with Wuhan Union Hospital West Campus engage in a video talk with their counterparts in 13 hospitals in the Netherlands over the disease in Wuhan, Central China's Hubei province, on March 16, 2020. [Photo by Wang Jing/ chinadaily.com.cn]

March 11

-- The NHC and the foreign ministry jointly held the third China-EU teleconference on the exchange of the COVID-19 prevention and control technologies.

-- The NHC coordinated experts to attend the WHO's conference in America to introduce China's experience in the COVID-19 prevention and control.

-- Under the joint prevention and control mechanism of the State Council, a press conference was held in Beijing about the COVID-19 epidemic.

As revealed at the press conference, China has seen the daily number of newly confirmed cases and newly suspected cases of COVID-19 ease to double-digit for five consecutive days. Apart from Wuhan, there were two newly confirmed cases in the last five days in China. The overall epidemic situation remained at a relatively low level and the prevention and control situation continued to improve.

However, there are still a large number of confirmed cases in Hubei and Wuhan, and the task of the epidemic prevention and control remains arduous. The rapid development of epidemic abroad also brings uncertainties, according to the press conference.

-- A research team from the China CDC published a paper in the JAMA network, titled "Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in Different Types of Clinical Specimens", discovering the cytokine change map and prognosis rule in patients infected with COVID-19 for the first time.

-- Experts from the China CDC were invited to attend 2020 online Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections organized by the International Antiviral Society–USA.

March 12

-- Chinese President Xi Jinping talked over phone with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at request, stressing that the hard work of the Chinese people has bought precious time and made important contributions to the prevention and control of the COVID-19 epidemic in countries in the world.

Xi noted that China is willing to share its prevention and control experience with relevant countries, carry out joint research and development of drugs and vaccines, and is providing assistance to some countries where the epidemic has spread.

Xi said China supports the UN and the WHO in mobilizing the international community to strengthen policy coordination and increase resource investment, especially to help developing countries with weak public health systems to prepare for prevention and response.

Xi also said China has announced a donation of 20 million U.S. dollars to the WHO to support its international efforts to combat the epidemic.

Xi stressed that the international community should step up its efforts to effectively carry out international cooperation in joint prevention and control, so as to pool strong synergy in the fight against the epidemic; and that the international community must foster a sense of community with a shared future for mankind, support each other, work together to deal with risks and challenges and build a better planet.

-- Xinhua News Agency reported that Li Keqiang presided over a meeting of the leading group of the CPC Central Committee on COVID-19 response work, calling for better region- and category-based measures to prevent and control the COVID-19, ensure supplies according to the changing epidemic situation, and taking more precise and targeted measures to guard against imported and exported cases of infection across the border.

-- The Second Sherpa Meeting of the G20 Riyadh Summit was held in Saudi Arabia, to discuss COVID-19 and its impact on people worldwide and the global economy. A special statement by the sherpas (personal representatives) of the leaders of the G20 on international response to the coronavirus pandemic was issued after the meeting.

-- Heads of China, Japan and ROK CDCs held a conference call on the COVID-19 prevention and control technologies, during which the three parties introduced the current situation of the epidemic prevention and control in their respective countries and exchanged views on specific technical issues.

-- China and the WHO held an international briefing via video chat in Beijing on China's experience in preventing and controlling COVID-19.
Representatives of relevant countries' embassies in China and international organizations attended the briefing. Representatives of the WHO Western Pacific Region and relevant countries attended the meeting remotely via video chat.

China and the WHO jointly released the latest English versions of the diagnosis and treatment guidelines and prevention and control guidelines at the briefing.

-- The first batch of Chinese medical experts carrying China-assisted medical supplies arrived in Italy to help with its epidemic prevention and control efforts.

-- Under the joint prevention and control mechanism of the State Council, a press conference was held in Beijing about the COVID-19, saying the epidemic peak in China has passed as a whole, with the number of new cases declining continuously, and the epidemic situation remaining at a relatively low level.

-- A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said that China and Europe have maintained close communication and cooperation since the COVID-19 outbreak, and that China's NHC and CDC have set up a special joint expert group to deal with the epidemic with the European Commission's Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety and the ECDC.

March 13

-- Chinese President Xi Jinping sent messages to the European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, extending sincere sympathies to the EU and the people in all its member countries over the recent outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease.

China firmly supports the European side in combating the COVID-19 epidemic. China is willing to provide assistance to help the European side win the fight against the epidemic at an early date. Upholding the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind, China stands ready to strengthen coordination and cooperation with the European sided within bilateral and international frameworks to jointly safeguard global and regional public health security and protect the lives and health of people of both sides and in other countries around the world, Xi said.

-- China and the ROK established a joint prevention and control cooperation mechanism to deal with the epidemic and held the first video conference.

Led by the foreign ministries of these two countries, with the participation of health, education, customs, immigration, civil aviation and other departments, the mechanism aims to implement the important consensus of the heads of these two countries, strengthen communication and coordination between the two sides, carry out joint prevention and control, overcome the epidemic jointly, improve the health and well-being of these two countries' people, and safeguard and promote bilateral exchanges and cooperation.

-- China and 17 central and eastern European countries (CEEC) held a video conference of experts on the COVID-19 prevention and control, during which officials of the China's foreign ministry, NHC, and Chinese experts in disease control, civil aviation, customs and other fields shared information on the fight against the epidemic and exchanging prevention and control experience with government officials and experts from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia and Czech Republic and other CEEC members.

-- Experts from University of Science and Technology of China and its first affiliated hospital published an article, titled "Pathogenic T cells and inflammatory storm in severe COVID-19 patients."

March 14

-- Xinhua News Agency reported that Chinese President Xi Jinping recently sent a message of sympathy to Italian President Sergio Mattarella, expressing sincere sympathies on behalf of the Chinese government and people to the Italian government and people on the recent COVID-19 epidemic in Italy.

Xi stressed that the Chinese government and its people firmly support Italy's fight against the COVID-19 outbreak at this difficult time, and China is willing to cooperate with Italy and offer assistance.

Xi noted that mankind is a community with a shared future and that only through unity and coordination can humanity tackle various global risks and challenges.

Xi said as long as the two countries and the broader international community make joint efforts, they will certainly overcome the current difficulties and prevail over the epidemic at an early date, so as to protect the well-being of people in both countries and across the world.

-- Chinese President Xi Jinping recently sent a message of sympathy to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, expressing heartfelt sympathies on behalf of the Chinese government and people to the Iranian government and people over the epidemic.

Xi noted that the Iranian government and people have provided sincere and friendly support and help for China's fight against the epidemic.

Meanwhile, to help Iran beat the disease, China has offered Iran a batch of anti-epidemic supplies and sent a team of voluntary health experts, Xi said.

Xi stressed that China stands ready to step up cooperation with Iran to contain the epidemic and will continue to provide as much assistance as it can for Iran in the latter's fight against the COVID-19 outbreak, adding he is confident that the Iranian government and people will surely win the battle against the outbreak.

-- Chinese President Xi Jinping recently sent a message of sympathy to President of the Republic of Korea Moon Jae-in, expressing heartfelt sympathies on behalf of the Chinese government and people to the ROK government and people in ROK over the epidemic.

Xi noted that epidemics know no borders, and all countries worldwide are part of a community with a shared future, and the Chinese government and people empathize with the ROK in its struggle against the epidemic and related difficulties.

Xi said China will continue to provide as much assistance as it can to the ROK to support the latter's fight against the COVID-19 outbreak, the Chinese side stands ready to join hands with the ROK to win the fight against the epidemic at an early date, so as to protect the lives and health of the people of the two countries and the wider world.

-- Under the joint prevention and control mechanism of the State Council, a press conference was held in Beijing about the COVID-19 epidemic risk categorization, saying the vast majority of counties on the Chinese mainland have been thus far low-risk through the monitoring of high, medium and low-risk counties. Relevant provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions have published lists of high, medium and low-risk counties.

March 15

-- Under the joint prevention and control mechanism of the State Council, a press conference was held in Beijing saying all the new local confirmed cases of COVID-19 came from Wuhan.

As revealed at the press conference, no new local confirmed cases have been reported in cities other than Wuhan for 10 consecutive days. The number of local new confirmed cases in provinces other than Hubei has been in single-digit since Feb. 27 and zero new local confirmed cases has been reported for three consecutive days.

March 16

-- Chinese President Xi Jinping talked over phone with Giuseppe Conte, Italian Prime Minister at request. Xi pointed out that China is willing to work with Italy to contribute to international cooperation in fighting the epidemic and building a "healthy Silk Road,"believing that the traditional friendship and mutual trust will be further deepened and the all-round cooperation between China and Italy will usher in a broader prospect through this joint fight against the epidemic.

-- Xinhua News Agency reported that Li Keqiang presided over a meeting of the leading group of the CPC Central Committee on COVID-19 response work, making further arrangements to improve prevention and control measures and speed up work and manufacturing resumption in all aspects and restore normal economic and social order.

-- The State Council Information Office held press conferences in English simultaneously in Beijing and Wuhan. Experts from the medical team of Peking Union Medical College Hospital aiding Hubei answered questions from foreign media on issues related to the treatment of COVID-19 patients with severe symptoms.

-- The State Council Information Office held a press conference in Hubei on the scientific treatment of COVID-19 patients with severe symptoms.

-- Under the joint prevention and control mechanism of the State Council, a press conference was held in Beijing about the prevention and control measures China adopted according to law to guard against imported COVID-19 cases.

March 17

-- Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with Pakistani President Arif Alvi in Beijing, noting that the COVID-19 epidemic is erupting in many places around the world at present, and all countries should join hands to fight the epidemic.

Upholding the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind, China has timely released the epidemic information and shared prevention and treatment experience openly, transparently and responsibly, Xi said, adding China is willing to make more contributions to prevent the spread of the epidemic worldwide and will continue to provide support and assistance to Pakistan.

-- Chinese President Xi Jinping talked over phone with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez at request, stressing that China's prevention and control measures have achieved positive results and have stepped out of the most difficult and most arduous stage through the hard work of the whole country.

Xi said as the epidemic has spread in many countries, China is willing to carry out international cooperation with other countries and provide assistance within its capabilities.

Xi hoped that the international community will work together to turn crises into opportunities, resist the impact of the epidemic with open and cooperative practical actions, and jointly safeguard international health security.

-- Under the joint prevention and control mechanism of the State Council, a press conference was held in Beijing to introduce the latest research and development of vaccines and detection reagents.

-- China, Japan, and the ROK held a teleconference among heads of their COVID-19 response departments. The three parties introduced the epidemic situation and measures in their respective countries and exchanged in-depth views on strengthening cooperation in the epidemic prevention and control. They believed that they should jointly prevent the spread of the epidemic and strengthen joint prevention and control.

-- China began supplying 14 kinds of domestic test kits to 11 countries, with the first batch of test kits donated by China to Cambodia arrived in Phnom Penh.

March 18

-- Xinhua News Agency reported that Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, chaired a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee to analyze the situation of the COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control as well as the economy at home and abroad, and make arrangements for coordinating the epidemic prevention and control with key work of economic and social development.

Xi urged closer cooperation with the international community on epidemic prevention and control, stressing China will keep its close cooperation with the WHO to strengthen the analysis and prediction of the changes in the global epidemic situation, improve strategies and policies to cope with imported risks, boost exchanges and cooperation with other countries on epidemic response, and continue to offer assistance to the best of China's ability.

-- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang talked over phone with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, saying under the current circumstances, China stands firmly with the EU and supports its anti-epidemic efforts.

Li said China will facilitate its procurement of medical supplies through commercial channels, adding that China is also ready to actively carry out international cooperation to jointly protect the health of the humankind.

-- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang spoke over phone with Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borisov at request.

Li said China is willing to enhance exchanges of anti-epidemic experience with Bulgaria, provide assistance within China's capability to help it contain the spread of COVID-19, and provide necessary facilitation to the Bulgarian side in its procurement of medical supplies through commercial channels.

-- The second group of Chinese medical experts arrived in Italy, carrying nine tonnes of medical supplies donated by China, including ventilators, infusion pumps, monitors and testing reagents.

-- China and Africa held a video conference on COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control. Attendees of the online meeting were about 300 officials, health experts from 24 African countries, including health ministers from Ethiopia, Kenya and Liberia, and WHO representatives in some countries.

-- China and Mongolia held a video meeting on the COVID-19 epidemic, at which China shared its anti-epidemic technologies and experience in epidemic prevention and control, had in-depth exchanges in epidemic situation, prevention and control measures, screening and diagnosis, and treatment guidelines.

-- Under the joint prevention and control mechanism of the State Council, a press conference was held in Beijing announcing that Chinese mainland reported for the first time on March 17 no new suspected domestic cases of COVID-19. Hubei Province had seen no new confirmed cases for 13 consecutive days in cities and prefectures outside Wuhan.

-- Zhong Nanshan said at a press conference in Guangzhou that China has proved the effectiveness of containment measures in high outbreak regions and public prevention and control measures in other regions.

March 19

-- Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke over phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin at request, reaffirming that China stands ready to work with Russia and other countries to step up international cooperation against the COVID-19 epidemic for the vision to build a community with a shared future for humanity.

Xi called for closer international cooperation in epidemic prevention and control, experience sharing on containment and treatment, and facilitation of joint research, to cope with the common threat and challenge, and safeguard global public health security.

-- Xinhua News Agency reported that Li Keqiang presided over a meeting of the leading group of the CPC Central Committee on the COVID-19 epidemic response, making arrangements to optimize prevention and control measures, precisely curb cross-border transmission of COVID-19, and actively promote the orderly resumption of work and production.

-- An inspection team of the National Supervisory Commission released the report of an investigation into issues related to doctor Li Wenliang, an ophthalmologist with the Central Hospital of Wuhan. Following the report, Wuhan Public Security Bureau decided to revoke the previous reprimand letter and apologized to Li's family over the mistake.

-- China's foreign ministry and NHC jointly held a China-Europe video meeting with 18 European countries including Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Switzerland, introducing China's experience of COVID-19 outbreak prevention and control for European officials and medical specialists.

-- The NHC held a meeting with the Embassy of Japan in China to exchange views in building clinical and epidemic prevention mechanism of joint response to COVID-19 epidemic.

Shanghai Municipal Health Commission and Health Commission of Anhui Province held video meetings with specialists from Costa Rica and South Sudan, respectively, to exchange on epidemic prevention and control.

-- Under the joint prevention and control mechanism of the State Council, a press conference was held in Beijing saying that no new confirmed and suspected COVID-19 cases were reported for the first time on the Chinese mainland on March 18.

No new death was reported outside Hubei Province, and the number of severe cases dropped by two. No new confirmed local cases had been reported outside Hubei on the Chinese mainland for seven consecutive days, as revealed by the press conference.

The risk of imported COVID-19 cases was on the rise due to the rapid spread of the epidemic globally, thus the task to prevent imported risk must be implemented, according to the press conference.

-- Specialists from the China CDC participated in a teleconference with the WHO and the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN) to introduce China's experience on COVID-19 prevention and control.

-- Zhong Nanshan attended an international sharing and exchange meeting on epidemic prevention and control experience, calling for high attention to the spread of novel coronavirus in a number of countries, saying it's crucial to carry out early detection, early quarantine, early diagnosis and early treatment to control the epidemic.

March 20

-- Upon the initiative of China, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a special video conference on COVID-19 with ROK Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi. They had an in-depth exchange of views on joint response to the epidemic.

-- China's NHC and foreign ministry held a video meeting with 19 countries from Europe and Asia to provide a platform for specialists to exchange and share technologies for the prevention and control of the COVID-19 epidemic.

-- Under the joint prevention and control mechanism of the State Council, a press conference was held in Beijing, announcing that no new confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases were reported on the Chinese mainland on March 19. It was the first time of such zero report on the Chinese mainland since it started the nationwide battle against the coronavirus.

-- Specialists from the China CDC attended a teleconference organized by the WHO on COVID-19 vaccine research.