Christian Mumenthaler , Group Chief Executive Officer at Swiss Re

We at Swiss Re and our colleagues in China have witnessed the relentless effort of the Chinese people and government to battle the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. The measures to control the spread of the virus inevitably also impact day-to-day life in China and its economy. Although the outbreak may cause a temporary impact for China's economy, we believe economic fundamentals remain solid in China. We have full confidence China is well-positioned to achieve long-term growth.

For Swiss Re, China is one of our most important markets. We've had a long-standing relationship with China, going back nearly 90 years. In these challenging times, as China faces the outbreak of the novel coronavirus we offer our support to the Chinese people. Swiss Re employees in China have been making donations to relief efforts on the ground. The Swiss Re Group has also approved a donation for purchasing urgently needed medical supplies for the courageous medical staff on the front lines in Wuhan.

My colleagues recently shared with me a few lines which are currently popular in China: "No winter lasts forever, and no spring skips its turn." These are words of wisdom I think we can all embrace. With that, my best wishes to the optimistic and tenacious people in Wuhan.