Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday hailed the important consensuses reached in a virtual meeting on the fight against the COVID-19 with foreign ministers from South Asian countries, calling for joint efforts against unilateralism, protectionism, and bullying.

Along with Wang, foreign ministers from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh also attended the meeting.

In his concluding remarks, Wang hailed the good relationships between China and the five countries by calling them good brothers and partners who always support each other in the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Noting the outbreak in India, the Chinese foreign minister extended his sympathy to the Indian people. According to him, the first batch of oxygen supplies has been sent to India and he hopes today's meeting would be helpful for India to defeat the pandemic. 

According to Wang, the meeting has reached five important consensuses on pandemic control and prevention.

Firstly, it recognized the essential role of cooperation when facing the pandemic and positioned it as a pressing task for pandemic prevention and economic recovery.

Reiterating opposition against any plots to politicalize the pandemic, Wang called for support to the World Health Organization as well as joint efforts to push forward the cooperation in building of a community of common health for mankind.

Secondly, the meeting also proposed to enhance pragmatic cooperation on COVID-19, to improve the countries' capability to tackle major public health events, and to facilitate a fair distribution of vaccines.

China, in this regard, is ready to advance vaccine cooperation with countries present through various ways, including donation, procurement and filling production to ensure a dynamic and stable supply of vaccine to people of South Asian countries, said Wang.

He also noted that China is willing to set warehouses for emergency supplies in those countries through friendly consultation and to explore various forms of cooperation tackling the spread of variants of COVID-19.

Thirdly, the meeting also agreed to strive for economic recovery and deepen cooperation on poverty alleviation and food.

According to Wang, a cooperation center on poverty alleviation and national development will be established to facilitate exchanges of experience in relevant fields between China and South Asian countries.

Besides, all participant countries are ready to continue pushing forward cooperation under the framework of the "Belt and Road Initiative" to ensure the stability of the supply chain, noted the statement.

Fourthly, the meeting called on countries to maintain a favorable international and regional environment for national development.

Pledging to defend the UN-centered international system and the international order underpinned by international law, all participant countries, including China, reiterated their firm opposition against unilateralism, foreign intervention and double standard.

China is committed to regional and global harmony and tranquility, Wang said, adding the country will stand firmly on the side of justice.

Fifthly, the meeting called for all participants to keep the momentum and to expand cooperation through ministerial, vice ministerial and director level meeting, and inject impetus into the region.