BEIJING -- China stands ready to work with other countries in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and strengthen international cooperation to maintain the stability of global industrial and supply chains to minimize the impact of the pandemic on global economy, according to a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Friday.

Spokesperson Geng Shuang made the remarks at a press conference in Beijing.

While advancing domestic work and production resumption amid epidemic prevention and control, China has also actively offered guidance and help to Chinese companies to maintain the normal operation of their overseas projects, Geng said.

Responding to reports that Chinese workers of a refinery plant in Brunei took a Royal Brunei Airlines charter flight Wednesday to return to their work, Geng said that Hengyi Industries Sdn Bhd's oil refinery and petrochemical plant is a major joint project between China and Brunei under the Belt and Road Initiative.

That the two sides jointly made the arrangement for Chinese workers to return to their work fully embodies the willingness of the two countries to jointly fight the COVID-19 pandemic and boost cooperation, Geng said, adding the move will help the two countries to continuously advance the economic and social development.

He said China is willing to work with other countries, while actively combating the pandemic, to strengthen international cooperation and spare no effort to maintain the stability of global industrial and supply chains, to minimize the impact of the pandemic to the world economy.