China and Russia will take the Year of Scientific and Technological Innovation as an opportunity to enhance exchanges and cooperation in fields including medical and health care and disease control and prevention to make due contributions to safeguarding regional and global health security, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said here Thursday, EDNews.net reports citing China Daily.

Spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the remarks at a press conference when asked to comment on Russian ambassador to China Andrey Denisov's saying Wednesday that China-Russia cooperation in combating COVID-19 once again highlights the high degree of mutual trust between the two countries and their bilateral relationship will promote the further development of bilateral cooperation in the medical field.

According to Zhao, China and Russia have firmly supported each other on epidemic prevention and control, and maintained close communication and coordination since the outbreak. The two heads of state had many telephone conversations and exchanged in-depth views on the two countries' cooperation in the fight against COVID-19.

The two sides provided each other with medical supplies and sent medical teams for exchanges and cooperation, Zhao said.

Faced with the epidemic, the two countries assisted each other in the fight against the outbreak, which becomes a new bright spot in China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era, he added.

This year and next year mark the China-Russia Year of Scientific and Technological Innovation, and the two sides will take this as an opportunity to strengthen cooperation in various fields including medical and health care and disease control and prevention, to make due contributions to safeguarding regional and global health security, Zhao said.