VIENNA, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- The novel coronavirus epidemic will not change the mid- and long-term fundamentals or the strong resilience of China's economy, a Chinese envoy said here Tuesday.
Wang Qun, Chinese envoy to the United Nations and other International Organizations in Vienna, made his remarks while briefing the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-OPEC's Joint Technical Committee (JTC).
As the world's second biggest economy, China boasts a complete industrial system, while its economy is closely intertwined with the world as a whole, said Wang.
"These fundamental achievements and conditions will not undergo big changes because of the epidemic," Wang said. "Many people are making inference on the impact of this current epidemic by referring to the impact of the SARS epidemic. However, the size of the Chinese economy now is nine times bigger than in 2003 and China now has much stronger material foundation and emergency response capacity."
China has set up a comprehensive and rigorous prevention and control mechanism, covering both domestic and overseas authorities, with a focus on Hubei province, said Wang.
Every measure has been taken in an open and precise manner, with many exceeding the requirements of international health regulations, he added.
"While the SARS epidemic lasted for eight months in 2003, judging from the current situation, we now are confident that the epidemic this time will not last as long as eight months," said Wang.
As long as the Chinese economy can maintain growth in the medium and long term, China's energy demand will increase accordingly, he added.
The JTC has been holding a two-day meeting here since Tuesday to assess the global oil demand and economic growth influenced by the novel coronavirus outbreak.