Chinese President sends message to PM Modi, offers to strengthen anti-pandemic cooperation

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday sent a message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and offered cooperation in dealing with the situation created by COVID-19.

Xi said China is willing to strengthen anti-pandemic cooperation with India, and provide support and help to the country, Xinhua news agency reported.

He also sent "condolences" over COVID-19 pandemic in the country, the news agency said.

India has seen an unprecedented surge in COVID-19 cases in the second wave of the pandemic.

Addressing a press briefing on Friday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said that China is closely following the evolving epidemic situation in India.

"Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi sent a message of sympathy to Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar over the worsening situation of COVID-19 in India. He said that China would maximize its efforts to provide support to India," he said.

China's state-run Sichuan Airlines had last week suspended all its cargo flights to India for 15 days, which was seen as a blow to private traders' efforts to procure the much-needed oxygen concentrators. Later, in a u-turn, it retracted the order saying that it was working out a new plan to resume the services.

( With inputs from ANI )