The prevention and treatment of the cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) among overseas people in Beijing have been a "very important task" on the municipal government's work agenda, a senior official said in Beijing Tuesday.

And overseas people in Beijing have given "active support and cooperation" to the city's battle against the highly infectious disease, said Cai Fuchao, director of the publicity department of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) at a regular press conference on SARS.

He noted that a number of overseas-funded enterprises in Beijing have maintained the production of materials for SARS purpose, and some enterprises donated money and materials for the anti-SARS campaign.

In the Beijing Economic and Development Zone in southern outskirts of the city, all 873 overseas enterprises have not suspended their productions because of SARS, while 66 construction sites have remained working, and over 260 overseas people working or living in the zone did not leave, Cai added.

"We are very grateful for that," Cai said.

(Xinhua News Agency May 6, 2003)