The Commissioner of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Monday briefed new consuls-general of five countries in HKSAR on China's proposals on combating the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing solidarity and cooperation in the fight.
Commissioner Xie Feng received via video a courtesy call from new consuls-general of Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, the Dominican Republic and Pakistan in Hong Kong, during which he briefed the consuls-general on China's proposals at the Extraordinary G20 Leaders' Summit, its experience in combating the COVID-19 outbreak and contribution to the global fight against the pandemic.
From the first day of China's fight against the COVID-19 outbreak, the Chinese government has put people's lives first, mobilized and relied on the people, and taken science-based and targeted measures nationwide, Xie said.
"Our strenuous struggle and tremendous sacrifices have not only protected our own people but also created a strong first line of defense against international spread of the virus, thus winning time for the rest of the world and building up experience to share."
The situation in China is moving steadily in a positive direction, and life and work are returning to normal at a faster pace, he said. "Although the most difficult times are now behind us here in China, the Chinese government and people feel deeply for other countries and peoples, whose life and health are under enormous threat due to the spread of COVID-19 worldwide."
Xie said China has actively shouldered its responsibility for protecting global health and economic stability in this global war against COVID-19.
"At the very start of the outbreak, in an open, transparent and responsible manner, we lost no time in reporting it to WHO, sharing with other countries the genome sequence of the virus, rallying experts to work together on prevention and control, and lending a helping hand to other affected countries."
By the end of March, China had provided 120 countries and four international organizations with masks, protective suits, testing kits, ventilators and other aids, donated 20 million U.S. dollars to WHO, and sent teams of medical experts to other countries at request. Local governments, companies and civil society organizations in China have also done their share, according to the commissioner.
"China has set up an online COVID-19 knowledge center that is open to all countries, and held over 40 video conferences with more than 100 countries and regions to share prevention and control strategies, methods, technologies, standards and cases we have summed up through practice. We are also working with other countries on drugs and vaccines."
The commissioner said China will increase its supply of active pharmaceutical ingredients, daily necessities, and anti-epidemic and other supplies to the international market, and do its utmost to ensure the operation of key businesses and the production and export of key products in the global industrial chain.
Xie pointed out that the virus recognizes no borders or races, and has not only spread to over 200 countries and regions, but also rattled the global financial market and increased the risk of a global recession.
"The international community has seen it increasingly clear that in this ongoing battle between mankind and the virus, and in this struggle to secure economic growth, no single country can stay immune, and a beggar-thy-neighbor approach produces no winner," he said. "Solidarity is the best cure and cooperation the only way out."
"Unfortunately, while the entire world is rallying in the fight against the outbreak, some politicians and media agencies in certain countries have chosen instead to frantically smear China's epidemic response and efforts to help others," Xie said, noting that "they have done so out of a Cold War mentality and in a bid to shift the blame and deflect attention from problems at home."
"Making malicious speculations of others' noble motives, playing the blame game and slinging mud at others will not help save lives in their countries; they will only backfire and undercut international cooperation on fighting COVID-19. The international community should stay alert to and counter any such practice," he added.
"The pandemic holds up a mirror to humanity, reflecting the senses of justice, sacrifice and responsibility of most countries and peoples, but also the partiality, selfishness and bigotry of some others," Xie said. "We trust that the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind will take deeper root after this crisis, and that solidarity and cooperation will help the international community go a long way."
