Imported supplies used for the novel coronavirus prevention and control are exempted from tariffs between January 1 and the end of March, China's Ministry of Finance said in a statement on its website on Saturday.

The exemption also applies to foreign donations and products originating from the United States, which have been subject to extra tariffs during China-U.S. trade frictions.

China has waived import taxes on certain foreign donations since 2015. In order to help the fight against the coronavirus and amid enthusiastic donations from home and abroad, the ministry has decided to implement a more preferential tariff policy, according to the statement.

Goods that will enjoy tariff exemption include reagents, sterilization items, protective supplies, ambulances, disinfection vehicles and emergency command vehicles, the statement said.

The taxes levied on relevant items imported before the announcement will be refunded.

Medical equipment and materials are in short supply in Wuhan, the epicenter of the novel coronavirus outbreak, and other cities in Hubei Province.

The Chinese authorities have been taking various measures to meet demand, including asking companies to increase production capacity of much-needed goods such as masks and protective clothing and encouraging donations.

(CGTN's Geng Xiuhui also contributed to the story.)