A passenger wearing a protective face mask, amid concerns about the COVID-19 outbreak, walks in Linate Airport in Milan, Italy on Sunday. Photo: AFP

China will accelerate and enhance exports of urgent medical supplies and equipment to Italy to help the epidemic-hit country where more than 10,000 people have tested positive for the new coronavirus.

Though China itself still needs a large amount of medical materials, the country will offer Italy assistance including medical materials like face masks, and accelerate and enhance its exports of supplies and equipment to meet Italy's urgent needs, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said during a phone call with Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Tuesday.

As the epidemic quickly spreads, Italy is facing a shortage of medical supplies and equipment, said Di Maio, expressing his hope that China will help meet the urgent need.

If the Italian side requires it, China would like to send medical personnel, Wang added.

According to the official Facebook account of the Chinese Embassy in Italy, China is willing to supply Italy with lung ventilators, masks - including high-tech masks - protective suits and swabs for coronavirus tests. 

A representative of Mindray, a Shenzhen-based medical device producer, told the Global Times on Wednesday that the company has been contacted by a local authority to assist in providing medical equipment including respirators to some top Chinese hospitals set to send medical personnel and equipment to Italy.

A cargo aircraft carrying 26.4 tons of medical supplies including masks, protective suits, goggles and gloves totaling 4,556 boxes has departed from Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport in East China's Zhejiang Province for Italy on early Wednesday. It is the first batch of supplies from the province sent to help overseas Chinese in Italy fight against the new coronavirus.