DAMASCUS, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Syrian officials on Wednesday expressed solidarity with China in its fight against the new coronavirus, saying China is fighting the epidemic on behalf of the world.

In an event dubbed Together Against Coronavirus held in the evening in the capital Damascus, Faisal Mekdad, Syrian deputy foreign minister, hailed the Chinese efforts in fighting the coronavirus as heroic.

"Our brothers in China are doing a heroic act without hesitation to face this catastrophe and I say they confront this catastrophe on behalf of the whole world," he said.

"What China is doing is not only in the framework of preserving the security and international peace but also to prevent epidemics like this to spread to other countries," Mekdad noted.

Mohammad Hamsho, chairman of the Syrian- Chinese Business Council, agreed that the Chinese efforts should be respected worldwide because they are fighting to protect other countries.

"The measures undertaken by the Chinese government and people to face the coronavirus are very important given the big challenges they are encountering," he said.

Meanwhile, Chinese Ambassador to Syria Feng Biao said China's capability of undertaking measures to fight the coronavirus is uNPRecedented.

"The measures taken by the Chinese government to prevent and control the coronavirus are very strong and there is no country in this world that is capable of undertaking preventive measures of this size and strength," he noted.