Several African leaders gathered in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, have commended China’s efforts to prevent and control the novel coronavirus pneumonia.

The leaders say the measure taken by China to lockdown some of its cities, particularly Wuhan, is tremendous and portrays China’s responsibility to its people and the rest world.

“You must remember that the coronavirus can spread very quickly and the Chinese population is very dense and huge. So, I think for the Chinese to do that was a wise thing. We also applaud them for the sterling work they are doing. It’s remarkable. The hospital they have built and all the efforts they have put into controlling this virus. They are not only doing it for the Chinese but for the world because the world is a global village. An outbreak in one country can quickly spread to the rest of the world. But they have done a wonderful job to contain it,” former chairperson of the African Union Commission Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said.

Dlamini-Zuma’s sentiments were echoed by Jean-Denis Gabikini, who said that China’s bold move to lockdown the affected cities was important in the fight to stop the spread of the virus.

As China continues to battle the virus, President Xi Jinping visited a community in Chaoyang District to learn about the epidemic prevention and control work as well as the supply of daily necessities for residents.

He appreciated medical workers who fight at the front line for their devotion and all-out efforts and encouraged them to keep fighting and go through the difficult time with joint endeavor.

President Xi urged makeshift hospitals to play more important roles so as to ensure no patient is left unattended, adding that the treatment plan should also be timely optimized.