Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi expressed confidence in China's ability to reach its goal of eradicating poverty by the end of the year in a meeting with Laos' President Bounnhang Vorachit on Thursday. 

No difficulty would stop China from moving forward, Wang said in the Lao capital of Vientiane. The Chinese official is in the Southeast Asian country for a special foreign ministers meeting with ASEAN members on jointly combating the novel coronavirus.

The novel coronavirus-caused pneumonia that first broke out in central China's Wuhan in December, has now killed over 2,100 lives in China.

Wang appreciates all the assistance coming from both the Lao government and its people. This has touched us deeply and shows the deep friendship between the two nations, said the Chinese official.

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The Chinese diplomat is confident that China will surely combat the novel coronavirus, given the great advantage of the country's socialist system and its extensive experience in dealing with public health issues.

Wang said he hoped the two countries could advance the industrialization process and strengthen win-win cooperation in all aspects to bring more benefits to the people of each country. 

First delivering condolences to China in its fight against the novel coronavirus, Lao President Bounnhang Vorachit said he believes the Chinese people will defeat the disease soon under Chinese President Xi Jinping's leadership.

The economy of China will keep developing at a fast pace after the epidemic, he predicted.

Bounnhang, who is also general secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee, also appreciates China's long-term support in the country's social and economic sectors. 

"Major cooperation projects including the China-Laos railway have going on well. These have brought solid benefits to our people," he said.