CIDCA director-general answers questions from Phoenix Television on China's aid for South Asia's COVID-19 fight

Phoenix Television:

Since mid and late April, the COVID-19 pandemic in India has become increasingly severe and a second outbreak wave has happened across South Asia. As far as I know, China has provided assistance for South Asian countries. Would you like to describe the assistance?

Bai Bin (director-general of the First Department of Regional Affairs of the CIDCA):

We always adhere to the spirit of the speeches of President Xi Jinping made at the 73rd World Health Assembly and the Global Health Summit and carry out international anti-pandemic cooperation under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee and State Council. After the new round of outbreak of the pandemic, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi hosted a conference of foreign ministers of China and five South Asian countries on anti-pandemic cooperation, announcing China's assistance plans to South Asia.

The China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) firmly implements the decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council to provide assistance to other developing countries, including South Asian countries, with adherence to the vision of building a community with a shared future with our neighbors and the principle of equality and win-win cooperation. After China's vaccine was approved for marketing with conditions, we immediately fulfilled President Xi's commitment to "make COVID-19 vaccine a global public good" by providing the first batch of vaccine aid to Pakistan on Jan 31, 2021. So far, China has provided COVID-19 vaccine, nucleic acid detection reagents, protective clothing, N95 masks, medical surgical masks, isolated patches, medical gloves, infrared thermometers, oxygen generators, breathing machines, oxygen cylinders, and ICU beds for seven South Asian countries severely affected by the pandemic, sent two groups of Chinese medical experts and offered cash to help these countries' anti-pandemic efforts.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic in South Asia, the Chinese government, at the request of affected countries in South and Southeast Asia, has immediately launched emergency relief operations to provide them with urgently needed "life-saving materials" such as oxygen cylinders, oxygen generators and ventilators. We are deeply aware that in the face of COVID-19, no one is immune, and helping others is helping ourselves. We need to work together to tackle the pandemic.

Phoenix Television:

Nepal shares a border with China and has been greatly affected by the pandemic in India. Could you give us more details on the Chinese assistance to Nepal?

Bai Bin:

When Nepal was hit by the pandemic and requested assistance from China, we immediately started producing oxygen cylinders and other supplies despite difficulties of tight production schedules and matching different models and systems of supplies. We consecutively provided shipments of oxygen cylinders, generators and respirators to Nepal in accordance with the pace of production. We had coordinated work with the Tibet autonomous region and Sichuan province to offer detection reagents, liquid oxygen, ICU beds, ventilators and oxygen generators to Nepal, and the Red Cross Society of China assisted with anti-pandemic materials like oxygen generators, protective clothing and masks to the country. We have been in close communication with Nepal. On May 10, the first oxygen cylinders and ventilators arrived in Kathmandu. Since then, six shipments of supplies have been delivered to Nepal by air and land. On May 31, the last batch of aid materials was delivered to Nepal at the Gyirong port of Tibet. The Chinese government also held a video conference for consuls, immigration officers, and experts on pandemic prevention, vaccines, traditional Chinese medicine and Nepalese experts to discuss the experience of pandemic prevention and control and treatment so as to help Nepal tackle the severe pandemic. The Nepalese government spoke highly of China's emergency assistance and Nepalese people positively appraised China-Nepal friendship, saying that China is the most trustworthy and reliable friend.

Phoenix Television:

As far as I know, the pandemic in South Asia has also spread to Southeast Asia. Laos was the first country to sign a deal on a community with a shared future with China and is a neighbor of China, so what measures has China taken to help Laos fight the pandemic?

Bai Bin:

The Lao government requested emergency assistance from China at the end of April as a new wave of the pandemic hit it due to the sudden deterioration of the pandemic in South Asia. The CIDCA has firmly implemented the consensus reached by CPC Central Committee General Secretary Xi Jinping and General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee Thongloun Sisoulith in a telephone call. In accordance with the requirements of the State Council, the CIDCA made quick moves, simplified procedures, coordinated national and local resources and made collaborative efforts of different units to ensure that the first batch of anti-pandemic materials landed on Vientiane within a week and that medical experts arrived on the same day to assist Laos in its anti-pandemic fight.

Relevant Chinese government departments, local governments and manufacturers made themselves available during the May Day holiday, making concerted efforts to guarantee assistance operations in the shortest possible time. On May 4, the first batch of aid supplies including masks and protective suits, especially a 25-member medical expert team sent by Yunnan province, arrived in Laos. The team went to the frontline of the pandemic in Laos to learn more about the situation and help formulate anti-pandemic plans, train medical personnel and guide Laos in fighting the pandemic, with good results achieved. The Lao government and people all offered their sincere thanks to China for its immediate assistance and valuable support, saying that when a crisis comes, China will always be the most reliable and strong back-up for Laos. On May 18, before the Chinese medical expert team returned to China after completing its mission, the Lao government specially commended the team and issued a certificate of honor to express its sincere thanks to China.

Phoenix Television:

Director-General Bai Bin, what have you thought of most in regards to helping South Asian countries fight the pandemic?

Bai Bin:

South Asian countries and China are linked by mountains and rivers. China and its neighbors share a common destiny. We feel connected as we were all hit by the pandemic. When the pandemic broke out in Wuhan in 2020, Pakistan mobilized all its efforts and took out its stockpiles to ship masks, protective suits and other anti-pandemic materials to China immediately. Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and other South Asian countries have supported China and China has always had a fine tradition of returning benefits. It provided timely assistance to relevant countries in fighting the pandemic, thus composing a life anthem for China and South Asian countries in their joint fight against the pandemic.

China's emergency assistance to South and Southeast Asian countries has been timely and efficient, and the people of developing countries feel keenly that the Chinese government and people stand by them at all times. Many other countries also speak highly of the emergency assistance provided by the Chinese government and people. Pakistani netizens thanked China for its selfless help to Pakistan, saying that China is always the first to extend a helping hand to Pakistan and hailed "Long live Pakistan-China friendship", and since then the hearts of the Chinese and Pakistani people have grown even closer. Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa thanked the Chinese government for its timely assistance to Sri Lanka in combating the new outbreak in their personal social media posts. Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh sincerely thanked China for its immediate assistance. China's assistance vividly demonstrates the brotherly friendship between China and Laos and their willingness to share weal and woe. Nepalese netizens praised the friendship between Nepal and China, saying that China has always been the most trustworthy and reliable partner in Nepal's most difficult times.

My colleagues, medical experts and factory workers, together with me, carried forward the spirit of international humanitarianism and fighting against the pandemic. We gave up our holidays and worked 24 hours a day. We were eager to meet urgent needs and had the courage to take responsibility, and took concrete actions to implement the concept of a global community of health for all.

Phoenix Television:

All South Asian countries are close neighbors of China. As the CIDCA's official taking charge of regional affairs, could you tell more about cooperation measures in the future?

Bai Bin:

Since last year we have carried out the most concentrated and largest emergency humanitarian relief operation in the history of the People's Republic of China. We have risen to the difficulties and made good progress in the first half of international anti-pandemic cooperation. We will always stick to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, accurately judge the situation, coordinate anti-pandemic needs at home and abroad and continue to strengthen anti-pandemic cooperation with related countries. We will advance vaccine assistance and anti-pandemic material assistance in South Asia in a prudent and effective manner, ensure the success of the second half of international anti-pandemic cooperation, and make positive contributions to the joint building of a global community of health for all.