Prevailing through solidarity—part 2
We will never forget the political support from the international community during our hardest times, as well as the medical supplies we received from almost 80 countries and 10 international organisations.
It is China’s traditional virtue to repay goodwill with greater kindness. Just as Russian President Vladmir Putin said: “We sent two million masks to our Chinese friends in February, now we have received 150 million from China.”
European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen also said that China has not forgotten about the European Union’s help in January when the Asian country was at the centre of the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak. Now Europe is the centre of the pandemic and in need of protective supplies, EU is grateful for China’s support. On April 6, the latest batch of medical supplies which includes test kits and masks donated by China to EU arrived in Italy.
Besides, Italy, Pakistan and other countries tried their best to provide supplies assisting China in the beginning. While these countries are suffering from the pandemic, China not only sent a large amount of supplies in return, but also sent several medical expert teams to help them fight against Covid-19. Maurizio Massari, Italian permanent representative to EU, said that not a single EU country responded to an Italian plea for help with coronavirus, and only China responded bilaterally.
For sure, some United States (US) localities and businesses extended a helping hand to China in our most difficult period at the very beginning, and we would like to express our great gratitude to American people. However, US officials said on many
occasions that they were going to offer $100 million to assist China and other countries impacted by the Covid-19, but we have not received any funds or supplies donated in the name of the US Government by now.
Meanwhile, the US Agency for International Development once promised to provide medical supplies to China, but when they informed us that the supplies were ready in
mid-March, the situation in China had been basically controlled. We thank the US side and hope they can deliver these supplies and the $100 million now to countries in more urgent need, considering the fast spreading of the pandemic around the world.
Now as the US is facing a severe situation domestically, many Chinese companies and localities have been offering assistance to the American people. The two peoples have shown mutual understanding and support in this joint fight against the pandemic. From March 1 to April 17, China has provided the US with 1.864 billion masks, 258 million gloves, 29.19 million protective suits, 3.13 million goggles, 500 000 test kits and 4 410 ventilators.
China is making such efforts to reciprocate the goodwill we received earlier during the pandemic, to act on international humanitarianism and to implement the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind. We will never stand aloof and shun our friends when they are in trouble, and we will neither pick and choose nor attach any strings when extending a helping hand.
I want to stress again that the coronavirus knows no boundaries and is humanity’s common enemy. With our future linked together, countries can only overcome the challenge by standing in solidarity.
China will stay committed to the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind, work closely together with the World Health Organisation and other countries to defeat the virus through mutual assistance, and contribute our wisdom, experience and prescription to the international community. We believe through solidarity, we will prevail.n
