China donates coronavirus test kits to Japan

A testing kit produced by ZJ Bio-Tech for detecting the novel coronavirus. The first batch of such detection devices was approved by the National Medical Products Administration on Jan 26, 2020. [Photo provided to China Daily]

China has donated a batch of novel coronavirus test kits to Japan, according to the Chinese embassy in Japan.

China reached out to Japan upon learning the latter country didn't have enough test kits, and sent the kits to Japan's National Institute of Infectious Diseases after coordinating with various parties, the embassy's spokesperson saidon Thursday.

China is paying close attention to the development of the novel coronavirus in Japan and empathizes with what Japan is going through, the spokesperson said.

The virus knows no border, and it takes joint effort by different countries to tackle the epidemic, the spokesperson said, adding China will continue to do what it can to assist and work closely with Japan to fight the disease.