BELGRADE, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- China knows how to handle dangerous epidemics and its people have the strength to overcome the economic side effects of the novel coronavirus outbreak, a Serbian economic expert and China researcher told Xinhua in an interview.

Katarina Zakic, a research fellow at the Institute of International Politics and Economics in Belgrade, said that China's ability to keep up with the economic momentum in face of the novel coronavirus stems from its previous similar experiences, and the hard-working Chinese people are likely to pull the country right back onto its set path.

"The (Chinese) government knows what it needs to do after the outbreak ends," Zakic said, adding that "the Chinese economy is in a better position these days."

"The government measures, resources that China has, along with (its) people and their mentality, will help the recovery of the economy," she said.

The Chinese economy will recuperate soon after the disease is stopped from spreading, Zakic stressed, expressing her confidence that Chinese authorities will introduce appropriate measures to breathe life back into the economy.

"The Chinese economy will be affected, but I think it will recover ... China's ability to maintain development will directly correlate with the time needed to stop the virus," she said.

Zakic said that the coronavirus outbreak has not had any impact on the business of Chinese companies here, and all projects of Chinese companies in Serbia will continue as planned, including infrastructural projects, investments, and construction of new factories.

However, "tourism will be affected for sure, because in the last two years we had a record-breaking number of Chinese tourists in Serbia," she added.

The health of the people should be a priority of any economy and countries around the world should stay united in the global fight against the disease, Zakic noted.  ■