Many Chinese people were deeply moved at the time by the poetic message written on each box: "Lands apart, sky shared".

The students drew the pictures themselves and, with the help of their parents, expressed heartfelt regard for Japan through poetry.

Most of the lines they cited delivered a similar meaning — that we are one community of people in the face of the virus, and only coordinated effort can lead to victory.

According to the World Health Organization, 64 countries besides China as of Monday have reported confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus and associated pneumonia. Of those, South Korea, Italy, Iran and Japan are particularly worrying.

Guilin Evening News contributed to the story