China's top diplomat assures Southeast Asia on epidemic
China's top diplomat assured his Southeast Asian counterparts on Wednesday that the situation in a central Chinese province where the outbreak of a new virus began has been brought under effective control.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi also expressed confidence that China can secure an early victory against this outbreak.
Wang made the remarks in a speech to diplomats from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in the Laotian capital of Vientiane.
The group, which has expressed alarm over the outbreak that started in China's Hubei province, is to hold an emergency meeting on Thursday to discuss the disease.
Six countries in the 10-nation ASEAN bloc have confirmed cases of the virus. With the strong efforts of the Chinese nation, the entire situation is turning for the better, Wang said.
Hubei province and Wuhan city have been at the epicenter of this outbreak and the situation in these places has been brought under effective control.
Outside Hubei, the number of confirmed cases has ...