Chinese Premier Li Keqiang will attend a special meeting from Beijing on Tuesday of leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) plus China, Japan and South Korea to coordinate the response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the announcement on Monday, saying the video meeting will be hosted by Vietnam as ASEAN's chair in 2020.

The regional meeting comes after a G20 special meeting last month hosted by Saudi Arabia to advance the global response to the pandemic.

Tuesday's meeting among East and Southeast Asian countries shows the determination and willingness of countries to join hands in fighting the epidemic and safeguarding regional economic development, Zhao told reporters during a daily briefing. 

China hopes the meeting would advance joint regional efforts to tackle the COVID-19 outbreak and its economic impact, he said.

China also hopes the meeting would strengthen coordination in virus prevention and control, improve health cooperation, as well as promote trade and economic integration, he added.

Speaking of COVID-19 challenges in ASEAN countries, Zhao said China sympathizes with affected countries over the outbreak, and has sent medical supplies and experts to certain countries to help fight the virus.

China and ASEAN countries are friendly neighbors, Zhao said, and the two sides have achieved many positive results while cooperating on fighting the epidemic.

China appreciates that ASEAN countries sent urgently needed medical supplies at an early stage, and now as coronavirus cases rise in ASEAN countries, China is willing to send assistance and facilitate the procurement of medical supplies, he said.