China willing to share virus info with ASEAN

A senior Chinese Foreign Ministry official stated on Tuesday China was willing to share its facilities and research with ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries in response to the new coronavirus pandemic.

Wu Jianghao, the Director-General of the Chinese Foreign Ministry's Asian Affairs Department, also said China would dispatch medical teams to support efforts if needed.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang took part in a video conference with leaders from the ASEAN countries as well as Japan and South Korea on Tuesday.

Wu told a news conference Li had called for stronger economic cooperation as the region seeks to recover from the outbreak.

Founded in 1967 in the Cold War era, ASEAN — a diverse bloc representing more than 640 million people — has held annual summits of its leaders and top diplomats with ceremonies steeped in tradition, protocol and photo-ops.

China, where the virus was first detected in December, is one of the largest trading partners and sources of tourists for Southeast Asia.