(Yicai Global) Feb. 12 -- China has urged members of the World Trade Organization to avoid restricting trade with the Asian country amid the novel coronavirus epidemic as that would inevitably cause spillover effects, according to an official.

Members of the WTO should refrain from overreacting and imposing unnecessary trade restrictions, a Geneva-based trade official told Yicai Global.

The virus outbreak has killed more than 1,100 people in China, an economy that last year probably contributed about a third of the world's economic growth and more than 16 percent of its gross domestic product. The virus has now spread to over 25 countries and regions despite international efforts to contain it and has hit China's exports and is disrupting global supply chains.

China is an important contributor to global economic output and growth and will continue to share information with other countries openly and transparently to tackle this global challenge, the official said.

The World Health Organization has declared a global public health emergency but its Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement posted on the United Nations' website on Jan. 10 that there is "no reason for measures that unnecessarily interfere with international travel and trade." 

"I hope that other countries will fully cooperate with us to overcome this epidemic and help in facilitating normal trade activities," commerce ministry spokesperson Gao Feng said at a press conference on Feb. 10. "We're confident, capable and competent to win the battle against the epidemic."

The International Monetary Fund and World Bank have noted that China has enough policy room to deal with the outbreak and acknowledged that its efforts have reduced some potential risks to the world economy, foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang told reporters yesterday.

Editor: Emmi Laine