Workers transfer medical supplies from China in a warehouse at the Almaty International Airport in Almaty, Kazakhstan, April 2, 2020. A batch of humanitarian aid from the Chinese government to support Kazakhstan's fight against COVID-19 arrived at the country's Almaty International Airport on Thursday. The cargo includes infrared thermometers, medical gloves, shoe covers, testing kits, protective glasses and gowns. (Kursiv Newspaper/Handout via Xinhua)

Chinese Ambassador to Kazakhstan Zhang Xiao held a phone conversation with Kazakh Health Minister Aleksey Tsoy on Friday. Both sides spoke highly of the China-Kazakhstan permanent comprehensive strategic partnership and agreed that the bilateral cooperation has brought tangible benefits to both Chinese and Kazakh people, according to a press release from the official WeChat account of the Chinese Embassy in Kazakhstan.

Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, China and Kazakhstan have made remarkable achievements in cooperation in public health, medical care and other areas. During the conversation, Tsoy thanked China for its strong support in the anti-epidemic work, noting that China's medical aid teams and assistance materials have played an important role in fighting the virus.

Ambassador Zhang said that China firmly supports Kazakhstan and believes it will be victorious in the battle against the virus, adding that he hopes Kazakhstan can protect the health and safety of Chinese people in the country.

Zhang said he believed Chinese citizens will continue to abide by the epidemic prevention requirements of Kazakhstan, observe good self-protection and ensure personal safety.

The phone conversation came after the Kazakh health ministry said the Chinese media’s reports of an unknown pneumonia in the country is untrue.

The Chinese Embassy in Kazakhstan on Thursday warned Chinese citizens living in the country of a local pneumonia of unknown source, which local media reported has a "much higher" fatality rate than COVID-19. Organizations including Kazakhstan's health department are studying the "virus of this pneumonia," the embassy said on Thursday, quoting media.

Global Times