Coronavirus: keep cool and carry on, China urges Germany
- German Chancellor Angela Merkel tells Chinese Premier Li Keqiang that Berlin will do what it can to help deal with the outbreak, according to Chinese state media
- Britain declares that the new coronavirus poses a serious and imminent threat to public health
In a phone call with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang stressed that China hoped that “Germany and the wider global community would stay cool-headed, support China’s outbreak response, maintain normal bilateral exchanges and enhance international cooperation on public health security”, state news agency Xinhua reported.
Li also said he hoped Germany would “facilitate China’s purchase of German medical supplies through commercial channels”, Xinhua reported.
Merkel said Germany would “do what it can” to help China deal with the outbreak, adding that Germany had followed the development of the epidemic closely and in a “cautious” approach.
“[Germany] has worked to enhance intra-European Union coordination, and refrained from imposing excessive restrictions,” she said, according to Xinhua.
“Germany is ready to strengthen cooperation with China on epidemic control, continue to provide China with assistance in medical supplies, and do what it can to support China in defeating the epidemic.”
Germany will take over the presidency of the EU in the second half of this year and Merkel has vowed to put Europe-China relations at the forefront of its agenda.
