Expressing confidence that his country would win the battle against coronavirus, Chinese Ambassador to India Sun Weidong today confirmed that there was no case of infection among remaining Indian citizens in Hubei Province, the epicentre of the epidemic.

Indian students still in Hubei were also being looked after well. The relevant universities have designated personnel to deliver masks and other protective materials to the students and send food and daily necessities to their homes on a regular basis, he said at a media briefing here.

“We give priority to their (Indian students) health and safety. The universities also provide necessary psychological counselling and online courses for those in need. Universities and colleges have issued notices to delay the starting of 2020 spring semester and notified each international student by e-mail or mobile,” the envoy said.

He said Indian students who desired to go back to China to continue their studies could contact their universities in China.

Sun said India and China have been keeping close communication on the epidemic. Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent a letter of condolence over the epidemic to President Xi Jinping, expressing his recognition of the tremendous effort made by the Chinese government to deal with the outbreak. He said External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had also telephoned Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and told him that it was important to evaluate the outbreak in an objective and rational manner and not take actions that might complicate the situation. “We appreciate and thank India for the solidarity and support extended by it,” the envoy added.

India and China were actively collaborating on epidemic prevention and control. Beijing was keeping India informed and updated on the epidemic. The Chinese Embassy has established a contact mechanism with the Ministry of Health in India. The Chinese Foreign Ministry and relevant local governments have also held briefings for Indian diplomats in China, he said.

Sun said China’s early victory over the epidemic would be beneficial to the development of both China and India as well as the global economy. “China’s economy is stable and strong like a mountain. Still, it’s easier to shake a mountain than China. We firmly believe that with the strong leadership of the CPC (Communist Party of China), the strength of the Chinese system, the unity of the great Chinese people and the strong support from the international community, we will win this battle against the epidemic,” he added.