Don't need to panic over coronavirus, situation not on UNSC agenda for March: China's UN envoy

China's UN Ambassor has said re is need to panic over coronavirus epidemic and that Beijing does t plan to discuss situation in Security Council during its Presidency this month.

China assumed Presidency of UN Security Council for month of March and Beijing's UN envoy Zhang Jun told reporters Monday that re was plan to have a "specific discussion" on COVID-19.

"With regard to Security Council, at this moment, is general feeling of member states, while we watch closely situation, especially new development, we do t need to go panicky about that epidemic," Zhang said during a press conference on occasion of China assuming Presidency of Council.

According to Chinese health officials on Monday, as many as 2,912 people have died of vel coronavirus in country.

Responding to a question on wher China plans to discuss coronavirus emergency in Security Council during its presidency of 15-nation Council, Zhang said issue of coronavirus falls within concept of global public health while Security Council's primary responsibility is dealing with geo-political security and peace matters.

"So, public health security issue is t in scope of mandate of Security Council in a narrow concept. But what we do think is important, is that Security Council will also watch situation very closely. At this moment, we do t have any plan to have a specific discussion on this issue," Zhang said.

He said China's fight against coronavirus is making huge progress and situation is becoming stable and getting better.

"Faced with such a severe challenge, under leership of President Xi Jinping we have taken unprecedented efforts and measures," which have been most comprehensive and strict.

He ded that while China is working very hard in combating virus, country has opted a very responsible and constructive approach in its cooperation with or countries.

"We kw that (in) or countries, we do have some new development. We do hope that what we are doing in China or what we have done in China will be able to help or countries," he said.

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Zhang said he would hope that whole world would be immune from fast-spreing virus.

"We see progress and new development in China in continuing spreing of that virus. And meanwhile we also see some new development in or parts of world, including in this country," he said ding that while countries may opt different approaches, Beijing will be rey to share information and "good experiences" with or countries to help m deal with epidemic.

"We definitely believe that with coming of spring, we are t far from coming of victory, of final defeat of COVID-19," he said.

China is also focussed on revitalising its ecomy since coronavirus has caused a negative impact on Chinese ecomy, envoy said.

"Because of strong resilience, ermous domestic consumption and domestic market and because of solid foundation of Chinese ecomy, we are very much confident" that Beijing will be able to do realise its ecomic and social goals, he said.

"We do have confidence about future of Chinese ecomy.

"We kw that it is our responsibility because of China's important role in global value chain and supply chain. We hope that restoration of ecomic and social order and productivity capability of Chinese ecomy will also be able to help or countries to inject a new strength in ir efforts in coping with virus and epidemic," envoy said.

On wher China is planning to restrict travel from "hot spot" countries like Italy, South Korea or Iran that have seen coronavirus outbreaks to prevent transmission of cases into China, Zhang said while China still needs to do whatever it can in preventing and controlling spre of virus.

"But I can assure you that China does t opt a discriminative or a double-standard approach or policy towards any or country. We are very much supportive to efforts me by or countries like... Italy, Korea. We do have received a lot of assistance from those countries and we are also doing whatever we can help in those countries," he said.

He said China has t "distinguished" citizens of or countries from Chinese and is treating all people on "an equal footing".

"We hope that by doing so, we are t causing problems. We are really making our furr contribution in control of this epidemic," he ded. 

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