Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks when visiting the headquarters of Ecuador's national emergency response system ECU-911 in Quito, Ecuador, Nov 18, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

China will take an active part in the rebuilding of earthquake-jolted Ecuador and provide support in housing, medical treatment and earthquake prevention for the South American country, President Xi Jinping said on Friday.

"A friend in need is a friend indeed," Xi said, adding that China had provided various forms of assistance immediately after the 7.8-magnitude quake hit the northern Pacific coast of Ecuador.

Xi made his remarks while attending a ceremony to unveil a joint laboratory at Ecuador's national emergency response system, also called ECU 911.

Accompanied by Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa, the Chinese president also watched the live broadcast of the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Chone Hospital and the completion ceremony of Coca Codo Sinclair (CCS) hydro power station.

The hospital is to be built with Chinese assistance in the earthquake-stricken Ecuadorian city of Chone in northwestern Manabi province, to replace the one that was seriously damaged in the devastating earthquake in April. The new hospital will be completed in 20 months by China CAMC Engineering Co Ltd, a Chinese engineering company.

With a power generating capacity of 1.5 million kilowatt hours, the CCS hydro power station was started building in 2010 by China's State-owned Sinohydro Group. The hydro power station could meet 40 percent of Ecuador's national power needs.