BEIJING, March 2 (Xinhua) -- The Belt and Road financial institutions should contribute to the global fight against novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and help maintain steady economic growth.

That was a proposal released recently by the Belt and Road Inter-bank Regular Cooperation Mechanism, which was initiated by the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China in 2017. The proposal aims to support China and other countries in their fight against COVID-19, said the People's Bank of China Monday.

The initiative affirms China's efforts and measures to combat the epidemic, showing confidence in China's victory over the epidemic, as well as its long-term economic development.

It calls on the international community to boost unity and cooperation to deal with the common challenge together and strengthen cooperation within the framework of the World Health Organization to safeguard regional and international public health security.

Members of the mechanism now group 94 financial institutions from 51 countries and regions, with an aim to improve financial support for the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative.