Countries, leaders express solidarity with China, commend its actions to contain the outbreak
People light candles that form the Chinese characters that say “Stay strong, Wuhan”, at the Gangaramaya Buddhist temple in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Feb 5 in support of those affected by the novel coronavirus outbreak. (LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI / AFP)
The Group of 77 and the United Nations expressed full support for China’s fight against novel coronavirus pneumonia or NCP during the 58th Session of the Commission on Social Development at UN Headquarters in New York on Feb 10.
This followed other messages of support and confidence from world leaders amid China’s ongoing all-out efforts to curb the spread of contagion.
Ambassador Rudolph Michael Ten-Pow, chairman of the G77 and permanent representative of Guyana to the United Nations, said the G77 backs the Chinese government’s comprehensive efforts to contain the NCP outbreak and recognizes China’s efforts in cooperating with the international community.
The G77 emphasized that the international community should work together “in a spirit of responsibility, transparency, solidarity and cooperation” and “avoid the spread of discrimination, stigma and disinformation” to bring the outbreak under control as fast as possible.
The G77, which comprises 135 developing UN member states, emphasized the importance of the World Health Organization in global public health preparedness and response, and called for respect for the WHO’s professional guidance on containing the outbreak.
UN Undersecretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Liu Zhenmin of China said he joins UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the heads of all UN entities in recognizing China’s resilience and efforts to combat the global health challenge.
“We in the UN system are prepared to offer strong support to the people and government of China,” Liu said. “We are confident that they will succeed in curbing the novel coronavirus very soon.”
Gbolie Desire Wulfran Ipo, chairman of the UN Commission for Social Development and ambassador of Cote d’Ivoire to the UN, expressed deep appreciation and full support for the Chinese government’s “high-level political commitment and extraordinary efforts” to fight the NCP and called for international solidarity and cooperation.
At an event in Houston, in the US state of Texas, Chinese Consul-General Cai Wei met with US Representative Al Green to speak about the virus’ impact on Texas, where several people are being watched for possible infection.
“What happens in China does impact us in the United States,” said Green. “But China and the United States working together can solve our problems and lay the basis for consultation.”
Valeria Castellano, 13, together with her 11-year-old brother Javier Castellano, shows a painting with words of encouragement to China in San Salvador, El Salvador, on Feb 7. Valeria said she heard about the novel coronavirus pneumonia epidemic in China and believed that China would be able to overcome these difficulties. (PHOTO / XINHUA)
Speaking about the anxiety in some communities over the NCP, Cai said: “This is the time for facts, not fear, for science, not rumors, and for solidarity, not stigma. China is fighting the outbreak for the sake of the health of its people as well as that of the world’s people.
“With its all-out efforts at home, China is reducing the risk facing countries around the world and the danger to people in other parts of the world,” he said.
Beijing has actively worked with the international community to deal with the epidemic, and has called on countries around the world to make united efforts in a rational way.
United States President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Saudi Arabian King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, in phone conversations with President Xi Jinping, have all expressed their support for China’s efforts to fight the epidemic.
Other leaders, such as Russian President Vladimir Putin and top leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Kim Jong-un, expressed faith in letters to Xi that under his leadership the Chinese government and people have the capability to curb the spread of the virus.
Xi also spoke over the the phone with Indonesian President Joko Widodo, saying he is confident that China will become even stronger and more prosperous after winning the fight against the epidemic.
In a phone conversation with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Feb 11, Xi said that since the start of the outbreak, all of the Chinese people have united to make all-out efforts and take the most comprehensive and rigorous measures to prevent and control the contagion.
Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen visited China on Feb 5 and had a meeting with Xi in Beijing to demonstrate his full support for China in the fight against the virus.
Germany’s Chancellor Merkel, while talking with Premier Li Keqiang over the phone on Feb 9, hailed China’s decisive steps in coping with the outbreak, which she said have won a high degree of support from the Chinese people.
Germany has adopted a prudent position on the outbreak and refrained from excessive restrictions, she said, adding that Berlin is willing to continue cooperation with Beijing on epidemic control and prevention and will continue to offer China support in medical resources.
Li expressed his hope that Berlin would facilitate China’s purchase of medical resources from the country through commercial channels.
Guterres, the UN secretary-general, said on Feb 8 that China’s actions to contain the outbreak are impressive, and he warned countries not to stigmatize China, China Global Television Network reported.
“It is clear that there is a massive effort that is made by China in order to contain the disease and avoid its propagation. I think that effort is remarkable,” Guterres told reporters on the sidelines of the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Guterres called for strong international cooperation and solidarity in fighting NCP and said it was inappropriate to blame China because of the outbreak. “We need to avoid the stigmatization that can sometimes accompany a situation like this, in which all of a sudden, people who have nothing to do with it are stigmatized for any reason,” he said.
Since the onset of the outbreak, leaders of various countries have expressed sympathy for China over the epidemic and have offered their support for its efforts in fighting the virus, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Feb 8 in a news release.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed confidence in Xi’s leadership and China’s victory over the epidemic.
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro expressed his country’s solidarity with China and readiness to keep its door open to China. He said Brazil would do what it can to help and support China.
Spanish King Felipe VI highly commended the Chinese government for its efforts and measures against the epidemic. He expressed his country’s readiness to work with China and contribute to containing the outbreak.
The United States said in a news release on Feb 7 that it had arranged for the shipping of nearly 17.8 tons of donated medical supplies to the Chinese people, including masks, gowns, gauze and respirators.
In the statement, the US State Department said it was prepared to spend up to US$100 million in assisting China and other affected countries, both directly and through multilateral organizations, to contain and combat NCP.
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa led a number of Cabinet ministers and members of Parliament who joined in a religious activity on Feb 5 attended by thousands of people in a monastery in Colombo, the capital, to pray for the Chinese people’s victory over the virus.
In a phone conversation with State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Feb 7, Emmanuel Bonne, the foreign policy adviser to the French president, extended France’s support for China’s fight against NCP and admiration for China’s calm, wisdom and ability in effectively bringing the epidemic under control in such a short time.
He conveyed France’s readiness for experience-sharing and cooperation to help with the outbreak and expressed full confidence in China’s ability to win this battle.
May Zhou in Houston, and Cao Desheng and Xu Wei, contributed to this story.
