BEIJING, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said on Thursday that the Chinese people are ready to stand together with the Sudanese people in their fight against COVID-19, and offer support and assistance within its capacity.

He made the remarks in a phone conversation with Sudan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok.

China and Sudan enjoy a deep traditional friendship, said Li, adding that the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa has recently been accelerating, and the Chinese people empathize with the COVID-19 threat the Sudanese people are facing.

He said the Chinese people are ready to stand together firmly with the Sudanese people, and offer support and assistance within its capacity in their epidemic containment efforts.

Li also said that viruses are the common enemy of the human race and no country can stand alone in an epidemic, adding that the Chinese people are willing to join peoples around the world, including the African people, in overcoming the difficulties, so as to maintain global public health security.

For his part, Hamdok said the Sudanese side appreciates China's positive role in promoting international COVID-19 containment cooperation, and opposes any acts to stigmatize any certain countries.

He also said that his country thanks the selfless help from the Chinese side, and is willing to step up cooperation and experience exchanges in preventing and controlling the epidemic, and to deepen the traditional friendship between the two countries.