Medical workers wait to submit COVID-19 samples for nucleic acid test at the center for disease control and prevention in Fengman District of Jilin City, northeast China's Jilin Province, May 17, 2020. (Xinhua/Yan Linyun)

China's experience of fighting against COVID-19 is of great help and value for global efforts in combating the pandemic, a leading medicine expert told Xinhua in an interview on Tuesday.

"China has accumulated valuable experience in virological research as well as clinical diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19, as the country's anti-pandemic efforts started earlier than the rest of the world," said Zhaoping Li, a professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Clinical Nutrition at the University of California, Los Angeles.

The Chinese government on Sunday issued a white paper, titled "Fighting COVID-19: China in Action," to keep a record of the country's efforts in fighting the virus, to share its experience with the rest of the world, and to clarify its ideas on the global battle.

"The white paper has stressed China's call for building a global community of health for all. China has vigorously carried out cooperation with the international community in jointly containing the spread of the virus," Li told Xinhua.

"The virus knows no borders. The novel coronavirus is highly infectious and has a high lethal rate. In face of this brand-new pathogen, it is particularly important to strengthen international exchanges and cooperation," Li said.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, China has taken effective measures to control the spread of infection in a timely manner, and accumulated invaluable experience, she said.

Chinese scientists published papers in leading international journals to share experience, and Chinese doctors also introduced their clinical treatment experience on various occasions, Li said, adding she had participated in several video seminars to learn from her Chinese counterparts.

China's white paper on the country's battle against COVID-19 is an invaluable scientific and medical resource, she said.

As the novel coronavirus is likely to exist for a long period of time, countries around the world should support each other and cooperate in the development and popularization of COVID-19 therapies and vaccines, Li said.