Key meeting cites need to act together on movement of people across borders

China will work toward joint epidemic prevention and control efforts with other countries and regions to prevent exporting or importing cases of COVID-19 through movement of people across borders, according to a statement released after a meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang on Thursday.

The meeting of the leading group of the Communist Party of China Central Committee on coping with the outbreak of novel coronavirus pneumonia pledged further cooperation and exchanges with the World Health Organization and other countries and regions.

China will share its information and practice and participate in international cooperation in the research and development of diagnosis and treatment plans, vaccines and the selection of pharmaceuticals, the statement said.

The meeting called for establishing and refining communication, coordination and emergency response mechanisms in health and epidemic prevention with countries that have frequent movement of people with China.

It also urged better alignment in epidemic prevention efforts for vehicles used in cross-border transportation, ports and the movement of individuals at high risk of infection, with more effort to synergize standards.

The group's decision came after the WHO announced on Wednesday that the number of daily new COVID-19 cases outside China exceeded those inside the country for the first time.

The meeting reiterated the imperative for greater efforts to treat patients in critical condition in Hubei province and Wuhan, the provincial capital and epicenter of the outbreak.

A special plan will be made to further optimize allocation of medical resources so experts can be dispatched where they are needed most, the statement said.

It urged authorities to dispatch ECMO machines, which oxygenate and pump the blood, to the province and the city to meet the demand for treating patients in severe condition, improve the cure rate and reduce the mortality rate.

The government must further ensure the supply of daily necessities by boosting local supplies, stepping up distribution from other areas, giving play to the role of enterprises and ensuring unimpeded logistics, the statement said.

The provincial and municipal authorities must ensure deliveries to communities, give play to the role of volunteers and guarantee a basic living standard of residents and stranded travelers, the statement added. The meeting also urged better and more meticulous prevention and control measures to protect the elderly and children.

Local authorities and relevant departments are allowed to continue to postpone the opening of the spring semester for colleges, schools and kindergartens, the statement said.