Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith meets with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Vientiane, Laos, Feb. 21, 2020. (Kaikeo Saiyasane/Xinhua)

Laos will stand side by side with China and is willing to provide assistance within its capacity to support China's fight against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith said here Friday.

The prime minister made the remarks during a meeting with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who attended here the Special ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers' Meeting on Coronavirus Disease and the fifth Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers' Meeting held on Thursday.

The two meetings are both very successful, demonstrating the determination of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and China to work together to overcome difficulties, said Thongloun.

Laos highly appreciates China's great efforts to combat the epidemic. "I firmly believe under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core, and through the hard work of the Chinese people and the concerted efforts of the international community, China will overcome the epidemic as soon as possible, maintain rapid economic development and achieve the first centenary goal as scheduled," said Thongloun.

The prime minister expressed gratitude to the Chinese government for taking good care of Laotians in China amid the epidemic.

Laos has launched a nationwide fund-raising campaign to support China's fight against COVID-19. "Although the amount is limited, it shows our sincerity to our Chinese brothers."

Wang, for his part, said after the outbreak of the epidemic, Laos expressed confidence in and voiced support for China in combating the disease in the first time and also promised to organize the two meetings, demonstrating the brotherhood between the two countries is unshakable and illustrating the profound connotation of the China-Laos community of shared future.

China and ASEAN have had the tradition of supporting and helping one another to tide over difficult times and the Special ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers' Meeting on Coronavirus Disease will further promote the unity and cooperation between the two sides, lift the region's capacity in deal with public health emergencies, Wang said.