Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said in Beijing Tuesday that as a responsible government, the Chinese government has attached great importance to the prevention of bird flu, and taken resolute and effective measures to control its spread.  

Wen made the remarks when he met with some delegates of the China-ASEAN Special Meeting on the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) control, which was held in Beijing Tuesday. Delegations from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, World Health Organization and World Organization for Animal Health participated in the meeting.

Wen said that China and the ASEAN countries as well as the relevant international organizations cooperated well last year on handling severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), and this just concluded meeting demonstrated further sincere cooperation.

He said that China is ready to work with the ASEAN and other international organizations on public health, quality supervision and quarantine so as to enhance the strategic partnership with the ASEAN and the relations with the relevant international organizations.

Suvit Khunkitti, deputy prime minister of Thailand and the ASEAN representative, expressed gratitude for the support and aid China has given to ASEAN countries in their fight against bird flu.

Henk Bekedam, WHO representative, said that all participants have been encouraged by the political commitment of China on preventing and treating bird flu and appreciated the effective measures China has taken.

Joseph Domenech, an official from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, and Bernard Vallat, director-general of the World Organization for Animal Health expressed willingness to fight bird flu with China.

(Xinhua News Agency March 3, 2004)