BEIJING, April 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Bangladeshi Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen on Wednesday held a phone conversation on continued cooperation between their countries in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

China and Bangladesh are friendly neighbors who have always understood and supported each other, and the Bangladeshi government expressed its sympathy and provided support to China at the critical time of its fight against the novel coronavirus, Wang said.

Currently, the virus has hit many regions in the world and more cases are confirmed in Bangladesh, Wang said, adding that China, which has been paying close attention to COVID-19 developments in Southeast Asia, advises the Bangladeshi government to take early measures to step up virus prevention and control to enable an effective response to the virus's spread.

 China deems humanity as a community with a shared future and has provided medical supplies to Bangladesh in a timely manner and mobilized enterprises to assist the country, Wang said, adding that China is willing to give more help based on the virus situation in Bangladesh, would share related information and experience without reservation, and would dispatch experts to help its fight.

As a responsible major country, Wang said, China will stand firmly together with Bangladesh and other neighbors to jointly fight the virus, resist the virus's impact on the global economy, try its best to help sustain normal international industrial collaboration, and protect people's safety and well-being in the region and the world as large.

 The Chinese foreign minister said that he believes that under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh's government and people will definitely defeat the virus, and its friendship with China will be enhanced in the process.

China hopes that the Bangladeshi government will continue to provide the necessary help and attention to the Chinese nationals in Bangladesh to ensure their safety and health, Wang added.

For his part, Momen said Bangladesh highly appreciates the outstanding achievements China's anti-virus efforts have scored, which have set an example for countries across the world.

Bangladesh is grateful for the timely assistance China has provided for its fight against the coronavirus, and hopes that it can get continued support in supplies such as face masks and ventilators, said the Bangladeshi foreign minister.

China's valuable support at its time of difficulty has once again proved that China is Bangladesh's most reliable friend and partner, Momen added.

In the phone conversation, the two foreign ministers also exchanged views on issues regarding Myanmar's western Rakhine State, with the Bangladeshi side expressing its hope for an early start of refugee repatriation and the Chinese side voicing the willingness to continue mediation.  ■