Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi responded to a Chinese-language tweet by Mohammad Javad Zarif, saying, "Thank you very much in Chinese for your Happy New Year and congratulations to the Chinese government on combating the outbreak of Coronavirus."
"The Chinese government firmly combats the outbreak of the virus and will work with international partners and the World Health Organization on this issue," he said. "You are a true friend of the hard times of the Chinese nation."
"I emphasize that China is ready to foster friendly cooperation with Iran in all areas in the context of a comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries," the Chinese foreign minister said.
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying, for his part, praised Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif's tweet about China's fight against the Coronavirus, saying that Zarif's remarks fully reflect historical Chinese-Iranian friendship and close cooperation.
"Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has sent a verbal message to Zarif in this regard and thanked the Iranian side," Hua Chunying said in Beijing on Monday.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on January 23, in a message, congratulated Chinese people on their New Year, saying Iran has always stood by China.
"In the fight against the new coronavirus-infected pneumonia epidemic, the Chinese government responded in a timely and decisive manner, and people from all over the country were united in their hearts so that people were confident that China would win the epidemic prevention and control war," Zarif tweeted on Thursday.
"I hope that all Chinese people will have a healthy and peaceful Spring Festival and wish the Chinese people a healthy year regardless of adversity, Iran has always stood by the Chinese people," he added.
6125**2050
Follow us on Twitter @IrnaEnglish