China Confident of Overcoming SARS Disaster

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, May 10, 2003

China Confident of Overcoming SARS Disaster

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Vice-Premier Wu Yi Meets WHO Official on SARS

Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi said Friday that the Chinese government and people have full confidence and the capability to overcome the sudden catastrophe brought by severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

Wu, also China's health minister, made the remark at a meeting with Dr. Jong Wook Lee, director-general nominee of the World Health Organization (WHO).

After briefing Lee on China's fight against SARS, Wu said that the Chinese government always placed people's health and lives above everything else and had adopted a series of stringent measures to check the spread of SARS.

China's victory over SARS, the common enemy of mankind, would be a contribution to the world, Wu said.

China attached great importance to the WHO's role in the cause of international health, she said, adding that the cooperation between China and the WHO was fruitful.

Wu also expressed gratitude for Lee's support on the one-China stance on various occasions and thanked him for the work done by WHO's China office and the expert teams.

She also congratulated Lee on his nomination as WHO director-general.

Lee said he admired the courage and confidence of the Chinese people and their government in the struggle against SARS. He hoped that China would bring the SARS epidemic under control at an early date.

Lee said he expected China to provide more and better information. "About the quality of the data, it is my impression that we (the WHO, Beijing and the Ministry of Health) are doing our best".

"It is very positive that we (the WHO and Chinese health officials) can discuss all the issues very openly.''

Noting that the greatest problem now is in big cities like Beijing, Lee said it is too early to say whether the disease has peaked in the capital.

Lee, during his one-day visit, was greeted by a confident Chinese cabinet.

According to a Chinese spokesman, Wu told Lee that the Chinese Government was giving top priority to the health and safety of its people and China is confident in its ability to beat SARS.

Lee showed deference to the Chinese Government and people's courage, and wished the nation success to bring the disease under control.

The cumulative cases of severe acuterespiratory syndrome (SARS) on the Chinese mainland rose to 4,884 by 10:00 a.m. May 10 and the death toll was 235, the Ministry of Health reported Saturday.

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