¡¡¡¡BEIJING, May 9 (Xinhuanet) -- Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi said here Friday that the Chinese government and people have full confidence and the capability to overcome the sudden catastrophe brought by severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

¡¡¡¡Wu, also China's health minister, made the remark at a meeting with Dr. Jong Wook Lee, director-general nominee of the World Health Organization (WHO).

¡¡¡¡After briefing Lee on China's fight against SARS, Wu said that the Chinese government always placed people's health and lives above everything else and had adopted a series of stringent measures to check the spread of SARS.

¡¡¡¡China's victory over SARS, the common enemy of mankind, would be a contribution to the world, Wu said.

¡¡¡¡China attached great importance to the WHO's role in the cause of international health, she said, adding that the cooperation between China and the WHO was fruitful.

¡¡¡¡Wu also expressed gratitude for Lee's support on the one-China stance on various occasions and thanked him for the work done by WHO's China office and the expert teams.

¡¡¡¡She also congratulated Lee on his nomination as WHO director-general.

¡¡¡¡Lee said he admired the courage and confidence of the Chinese people and their government in the struggle against SARS. He hoped that China would bring the SARS epidemic under control at an early date.

¡¡¡¡Lee is expected to begin his five-year term in July. Enditem