Hu Jintao on China's measures to check SARS

China is taking effective measures to stop SARS from spreading across its territory and beyond its boundaries, Chinese Chairman Hu Jintao told students and teachers at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations.

"It is a new disease, and we initially had not enough power to handle the diagnostics, treatment and prophylactic measures," he admitted. "The density of population and rapid movements inside the country made it hard to combat this evil." "But even as it faces this catastrophe, the Chinese government places the safety and well-being of the nation above all else," he stressed.

"We have taken a number of effective measures to intensify research activities, strengthen international cooperation and so on," the Chinese leader reported. He added that efforts were being made to take prophylactic measures and cure those who had already contracted SARS.

"SARS is a challenge to China and the whole world community," Hu Jintao stressed. "China will actively cooperate with other countries and contribute to the effort to conquer this disease."