BEIJING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- China has decided to send a medical team to Laos to assist in the prevention and control of the COVID-19 epidemic and to provide assistance within its capabilities, a senior Chinese official said on Friday.

Since the COVID-19 outbreak, China, under the strong leadership of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) with Xi Jinping at the core, has seen an increasingly positive trend in containing the epidemic, and an ever faster return to normalcy in daily lives and production, Song Tao, head of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, said in a phone conversation with Sounthone Xayachack, head of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee's commission for external relations.

Noting that Xi made an important speech at the extraordinary G20 leaders' summit on Thursday, Song said the speech has shown the direction for and injected impetus into global cooperation to battle the disease.

In the early days of the outbreak, General Secretary Bounnhang Vorachith immediately sent a letter of sympathies to Xi, and the Lao party, government and people from all walks of life offered help and support to China, which vividly demonstrates the spirit of the China-Laos community with a shared future, Song said.

At present, the epidemic prevention and control situation in Laos is grim, Song said, adding that following the instructions of Xi, China has decided to send a medical expert group to Laos and to provide assistance within its capabilities.

In the phone conversation, Sounthone said that Xi's speech at the extraordinary G20 leaders' summit has substantially promoted global cooperation on public health security, and fully displayed the responsible role as a big political party and a major country.

Sounthone said that the Lao side is deeply grateful for the Chinese assistance, and the Lao People's Revolutionary Party stands ready to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with the CPC and to jointly build the Laos-China community with a shared future.

Sounthone also wished the CPC new achievements in leading China's development.