China is well prepared to minimize the negative impacts of the novel coronavirus epidemic while ensuring steady and high-quality economic development, an official said on Tuesday.

A worker makes masks at a medical supply company in Nan'an District, southwest China's Chongqing, Feb. 11, 2020. China is making every effort to ensure the supply of medical and daily necessities for citizens as the country battles the novel coronavirus epidemic. (Xinhua/Wang Quanchao)

Enterprises in key fields such as medical supplies, energy, logistics and transportation have resumed production, as the country, except hard-hit Hubei province, gradually returns to work this week, Cong Liang, secretary-general of the National Development and Reform Commission, told a press conference.

More than 76 percent of mask production capacity and 77 percent of protective suit production in China’s 22 provinces had been resumed by Feb. 10, according to Cong.

About 94.6 percent of the nation’s major grain production and processing companies have resumed production, as have 57.8 percent of the coal mines, said Cong, adding that supplies of electricity, natural gas and refined oil are sufficient.

Meanwhile, transport will be guaranteed to support the resumption of work and production. Xu Yahua, an official with the Ministry of Transport, estimated that another 160 million people will make their return journeys by Feb. 18 when the Spring Festival travel rush ends, adding that the ministry will resume passenger transport in an orderly manner.

Inter-provincial and inter-city transport in some provinces has gradually resumed, along with urban public transport services, according to the ministry.

China has been making all-out efforts to ensure the smooth transport of supplies for epidemic control and daily necessities, prioritize the transportation of emergency supplies such as coal, oil and gas, and keep the “green channels” operational, Xu added.

In addition, the country has taken measures to reduce the epidemic’s impact on employment. Zhang Ying, an official of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, said the outbreak wouldn’t change China’s economic fundamentals, continuing sound development or the overall stability of employment.

The country will help workers return to work and move hiring online to counter the impact of the outbreak.

Employers are encouraged to interview and sign contracts with college graduate job hunters online, Zhang noted, adding that people who lost their jobs in hard-hit areas like Hubei are entitled to unemployment compensation.