The instructions were made at a meeting of the leading group of China's COVID-19 epidemic response, which was chaired by Premier Li Keqiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.

The meeting called for strengthening epidemic containment measures in border regions and port cities, and efforts to identify and eliminate potential risks of outbreak clusters.

Noting that the epidemic control tasks still remain arduous in the country due to imported coronavirus cases and sporadic domestic cases, the meeting stressed attaching great importance to the situation and improving nucleic acid testing and antibody testing.

The meeting demanded strengthened regular and targeted epidemic control based on science at public places and communities, noting that the processes of screening, diagnosing, reporting and quarantining should work seamlessly through closed-loop management.

Governments of border provinces were asked to refine measures in preventing the cross-border importation of cases in light of the evolving situation, as well as shoring up weak links in the epidemic response, according to the meeting.

Experts and medics will also be speedily sent to border regions and port cities from across the country, the meeting said.

The meeting also called for coordinating epidemic control and economic and social progress, creating a sound environment for economic and social development.

Hearing reports on epidemic control and the reopening of businesses in Wuhan after the city lifted its 76-day lockdown, which was imposed to contain the outbreak, the meeting asked for efforts to resume regular medical services and economic and social order in Wuhan alongside proper containment measures.

Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and deputy head of the leading group, attended the meeting.