Syria appreciated the measures taken by China to combat the novel coronavirus, and believed that China has made contributions to public health of the people around the world, a senior official said.

Syrian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem made the remarks in a telephone conversation with State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday.

Syrian leadership and people firmly supports China in combating the epidemic, he said, adding that Syria thanks China for protecting Syrian people in China and hopes China will win the battle against the virus soon.

China appreciates the Syrian government and its people, who are working hard to safeguard national sovereignty and dignity, and have expressed support to China, Wang said.

He said China will continue to guarantee the health of Syrian citizens in China, and carry out cooperation in public health with various countries, including Syria.

China has experience in responding to emergencies and strong national mobilization capability, he said, adding that the country is fully confident to defeat the epidemic.