Foreign executives and employees at various business branches of China National Chemical Corporation Ltd, or ChemChina, are optimistic about China's economic outlook and remain confident on China's efforts to contain spread of COVID-19.

Claude Laubriet, deputy director for Asia at Elkem Silicones, a subsidiary of ChemChina's China National Bluestar Co, said the company formed an emergency response committee on January 24 and has been taking precautionary measures at all sites and offices.

"Our plants and offices in China have had a safe, stable week of operation since Feb 11, as the company has been strictly implementing precautionary health protection measures to ensure the safety of employees, contractors and visitors," said the French manager.

To avoid unnecessary risks, Elkem Silicones has provided the option of working from home in Shanghai in addition to the flexible working hours.

Jean-Paul Alozy, deputy general manager at Nanjing branch of Adisseo Group, another China National Bluestar Co's subsidiary, said China has made enormous efforts and taken unprecedented measures, so the epidemic has been under control.

"If there is a silver lining in this event, it is the significant increase in public health awareness and improvements in hygiene protocols that have occurred across the nation," said Paul Alozy, who has been sharing China's practical epidemic prevention and control measures with colleagues and friends in France. As an overseas subsidiary of ChemChina, Adisseo operates a number of research and technology centers as well as factories in France, Spain and China.

Agreed Ivan Teltsch, an expert of production at Krauss Maffei, an overseas subsidiary of China National Chemical Equipment Co, said China's timely and effective move against the epidemic also shows it takes a responsible attitude toward the international community.

The company has already guided employees to reduce gathering activities, learn epidemic prevention knowledge, and carry out disinfection work and other tasks to minimize the risk of epidemics, said the Slovakian expert.

Apart from accelerating manufacturing pace for medical protective clothing, other ChemChina business units making chlorine products and hydrogen peroxide have all raised their production capacity to manufacture industrial materials for epidemic prevention and control since the Spring Festival.

Supported by 160,000 employees including 86,000 outside China, ChemChina - the centrally administrated State-owned enterprise, operates six business sectors covering new chemical materials and specialty chemicals, agrochemicals, oil processing and refined products, tire and rubber products, chemical equipment, product research and development.