Facing the unprecedented challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic, the international community needs solidarity and cooperation more than ever, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Monday, calling on the world to safeguard multilateralism. 

President Xi made the remarks in a phone conversation with Nepali President Bidya Devi Bhandari, pledging that China will continue to support Nepal in fighting the pandemic. The Chinese president suggested that health and medical agencies of the two countries enhance exchange and cooperation.

China is committed to the notion of building a community with a shared future for mankind and will actively engage in international cooperation to combat the virus, Xi said, adding that China supports the World Health Organization (WHO) to play a leading role in the global fight. 

Bhandari said Nepal appreciates China's success in controlling the coronavirus at home and efforts to strengthen international anti-epidemic cooperation. China's experience will enhance other countries' confidence in defeating the coronavirus, he said. 

Bhandari thanked China for providing urgently needed medical supplies to Nepal. Friendship between the two countries will become more unbreakable when the pandemic is over, he stressed. 

Nepal is willing to enhance cooperation with China under the Belt and Road Initiative and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

President Xi also had a phone conversation with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Monday. 

On behalf of the Chinese people, Xi first sent condolences to the Iranian government, while reaffirming the deep relationship between the two countries.  

"The Chinese people have been thinking of the people of Iran during this hard time and have been dispatching multiple rounds of medical supplies there," Xi told Rouhani.

Xi urged more coordinated cooperation around the world in time of combating big public health emergencies like this one, and vowed to strengthen collective epidemic prevention measures with Iran. 

According to official data released on Sunday, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has surpassed 90,000 in Iran, yet with the overall situation more under controlled. Sunday also marked the country's lowest number of officially declared deaths since March 10. 

In return, Rouhani expressed his appreciation for China's support. 

He called for all exemptions of unilateral sanctions of all sorts in time of difficulty, directly referring to the sanctions imposed by the U.S. government led by President Donald Trump which experts said, saw no signs of easing up. 

Rouhani hopes the world can work as a whole and preserve multilateralism.