China has brought back home more than 70,000 Chinese citizens stranded in 92 countries amid the COVID-19 epidemic, the deputy minister of the Chinese foreign ministry said, assuring the public that the Chinese government pays a lot of attention to the living conditions for Chinese people overseas.
The Chinese foreign ministry and some 200 embassies and consulates have been following the overseas epidemic and paying close attention to Chinese citizens, Luo Zhaohui, deputy minister of the Chinese foreign ministry, said at a Thursday press conference.
They make continuous efforts in their protection of Chinese citizens, he said.
Some 157 Chinese embassies and consulates in 92 countries have distributed more than 1.2 million "health packages" of protective materials, and distributed various epidemic prevention materials to Chinese people in more than 100 countries, according to Luo.
Chinese embassies and consulates have been helping Chinese people to solve problems they face and helping those who have been infected with COVID-19.
The Chinese government initiated temporary international flights and picked up more than 70,000 Chinese citizens stranded in 92 countries as of Tuesday, Luo said.
The hotline, 12308, which provides assistance for Chinese people living overseas is available 24 hours a day. Between January and October, the hotline was dialed three times more than in the same period last year. More than 4,600 calls were made in April, and three calls were made every minute.
"The motherland will always support overseas Chinese and overseas students," Luo said.
