State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will be in Vientiane, the Laos from February 19 to 21 to co-chair the Special ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers' Meeting on Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) with Foreign Secretary Teodoro Lopez Locsin of current ASEAN-China country coordinator the Philippines. Other ASEAN foreign ministers will attend the meeting.

Invited by Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith of the Laos, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will co-chair the fifth Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers' Meeting and pay a visit to the Laos.

I'd like to share some latest numbers with you. According to this morning's update from the National Health Commission (NHC), February 16 saw 1,425 patients cured and discharged from hospital in China's mainland, bringing the total number of cured cases to 10,844.

New confirmed cases in China excluding Hubei Province stood at 115 on February 16, marking a decline for the 13th consecutive day.

Q: Could you talk about the background and considerations for State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi's attendance at the ASEAN-China Special Foreign Ministers' Meeting on the novel coronavirus?

A: As close neighbors linked by mountains and rivers, China and ASEAN countries share the tradition of supporting each other through thick and thin. Back in 2003, the Special ASEAN-China Leaders Meeting on SARS was held in response to the outbreak. Since the COVID-19 epidemic broke out, China and ASEAN countries have been in close communication and collaboration. That the two sides have decided to hold a special foreign ministers' meeting within such a short period of time demonstrates our will and determination to overcome difficulties with concerted efforts.

State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will talk about China's strong measures on countering the epidemic and exchange in-depth views on collaboration with ASEAN counterparts to advance joint prevention and control, maintain normal economic and social exchange, and explore launching a permanent mechanism on public health cooperation. By doing so, we will safeguard the health and safety of people in regional countries and contribute to global public health.

There will also be a China-ASEAN medical experts' meeting to be held in parallel with the foreign ministers' meeting.

Q: The Federal Register published a notice on February 14 that the US has decided to impose sanctions on six Chinese enterprises, three Russian ones, one in Iraq and one in Turkey pursuant to its Iran, North Korea, and Syria Nonproliferation Act. I was wondering if you have any comment?

A: China has lodged stern representations with the US side. We firmly oppose unilateral sanctions and "long-arm jurisdiction" imposed by the US citing domestic law. We urge it to correct its mistake at once and withdraw the sanctions.

China is committed to strengthening the international non-pr