Wu told US Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson on the phone that it was necessary to enhance exchanges and cooperation among countries while stressing Sino-US cooperation.

Admitting more arduous efforts are still needed, Wu said the Chinese Government and people have the confidence and ability to win the battle against the virus.

According to a Chinese Foreign Ministry press release, Thompson spoke positively about the measures the Chinese Government has taken.

China's experience in preventing and treating the SARS is of great significance to other countries, he said.

Thompson added the United States is willing to fully cooperate with China by doing its best to provide support and assistance and find effective ways to prevent and treat the epidemic.

Wu, who is also China's minister of health, said the government is very concerned about the health of Taiwan compatriots and the SARS situation on the island.

She said professional health organizations in Taiwan have sent specialists to the mainland to study and attend relevant meetings and Taiwan has open access to health information.

But she stressed the island is not qualified to enter the World Health Organization because sovereignty is required and Taiwan is part of China.

In a phone conversation with his British counterpart Jack Straw Tuesday afternoon, Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said China is ready to cooperate with other countries, including Britain, to learn from their experiences on how to cope with, monitor, prevent and treat infectious diseases.

Straw, on behalf of the British government, expressed sympathy and support for the Chinese people's fight against severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and praised the measures taken by the Chinese government.

Straw said Britain has decided to offer 5 million US dollars in aid to China and is willing to consider more assistance.

Li expressed his appreciation for the British support for China's prevention and treatment work against SARS and for the letter of sympathy sent from Britain previously. He said that the SARS epidemic, a mysterious new disease, "is gravely threatening the human beings' health and safety".

Adopting a highly responsible attitude, the Chinese government has been giving priority to the lives and health of the people while confronting the emergency, Li said.

China attaches importance to international and regional cooperation in the struggle against SARS, Li said, noting that China has conducted positive and effective cooperation with the World Health Organization and that Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao attended a special China-ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) summit meeting on SARS during which he put forward detailed suggestions for cooperation.

The two foreign ministers agreed on the necessity for the two countries to enhance consultation and communication on international affairs, including the Middle East issue, the nuclear issue of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Iraq issue.

(Sources from China Daily and Xinhua News Agency, May 7, 2003)