BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Monday evening that the Chinese side has been following the epidemic situation in Nepal, and will continue to firmly support its combat against the COVID-19 outbreak.

Xi, who made the remarks when holding a phone conversation with Nepali President Bidhya Devi Bhandari, also called on the two countries' health and medical institutions to strengthen communication and cooperation.

Xi pointed out that in the face of the sudden strike of the COVID-19 outbreak, the Chinese people have taken effective measures suited to China's national conditions, and have ridden out the most difficult period by making arduous efforts.

Noting that China always maintains a clear head over the situation, Xi said the country has been ready for changes in its external environment in the long run, and actively pushing for restoring the normal order to economic and social development on the premise that full efforts are made to prevent and control the spread of the epidemic.

He also expressed the full confidence that the fundamentals of China's long-term economic growth will remain unchanged.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="900"] Living Goddess Kumari of Patan observes a Rato Machhendranath ritual during the lockdown amid COVID-19 outbreak in Lalitpur, Nepal on April 9, 2020. (Photo by Sulav Shrestha/Xinhua)[/caption]

Xi stressed that at the moment when China was in the depth of the outbreak, the Nepali government and people provided firm support to China, which shows the Nepali people's profound friendship towards the Chinese people.

The Chinese president also expressed his belief that under the leadership of Bhandari and Nepali Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli, the Nepali government and people will surely prevail over the epidemic at an early date.

Xi also told Bhandari that after the epidemic, the two sides should continue to well implement the consensuses reached on cooperation in various fields during their visits to each other's country last year, and push for the constant development of the China-Nepal strategic partnership of cooperation.

The international community needs solidarity and cooperation more than ever in the face of the unprecedented pandemic challenge, said Xi, adding that the world also needs to safeguard multilateralism and uphold international justice and morality.

He also said that the Chinese side is ready to uphold the notion of building a community with a shared future for mankind, actively conduct international anti-epidemic cooperation, and support the leading role of the World Health Organization.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="900"] Experts from the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University attend a video conference with medical staff in Nepal to share experience in combating the COVID-19 in Nanning City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, April 13, 2020. (Xinhua/Cao Yiming)[/caption]

Bhandari, for her part, said that under Xi's wise leadership, the Chinese government has taken decisive and effective measures in a timely manner, succeeded in putting the epidemic at home under control, and bolstered active international anti-epidemic cooperation, which her country highly appreciates.

The Nepali side believes that China's experience will boost the confidence of other countries in overcoming the epidemic, she said.

Bhandari also recalled Xi's successful state visit to Nepal last year, saying that the visit has opened up a new era for the Nepal-China relationship, and the memory is still fresh among the Nepalese people.

The Nepali side is deeply grateful that the Chinese side has offered the country with much-needed anti-epidemic medical supplies, she said, adding that her country will continue to push forward cooperation in cross-border railway and other areas.

The Nepali president said she believes that the friendship between Nepal and China will become more impregnable and bilateral cooperation will achieve more results in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Nepal is ready to work with China to jointly build the Belt and Road and push forward the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, she added.  ■