canada-china friendship series by Cong Peiwu
Help each other in adversity to build a community of common health for mankind he COVID-19 pandemic is T spreading all over the world. In today’s era of deep global interconnection, no country can stay immune to the pandemic. Therefore, it is the shared responsibility of the international community to protect the health and well-being of mankind. G20 leaders recently held their first G20 Extraordinary Virtual Leaders’ Summit in history, the first ever to discuss the cooperation in dealing with the pandemic.
Canada plays an important role in G20 affairs. During my first post in Canada at the beginning of this century, I had the honor to witness the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting held in Canada. At the G20 Extraordinary Virtual Leaders’ Summit on COVID-19, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated that countries should unite to combat the pandemic and offer assistance to more vulnerable countries. In fact, at the summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping put forward significant initiatives on the international community’s cooperation to fight against the disease, including helping developing countries with fragile public health systems to improve their response capabilities, which sparked positive international resonance. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, China, upholding the notion of a community with a shared future for mankind, has adopted the most comprehensive, strict and thorough prevention and control measures to control the spread of the pandemic in the PHOTO: PEXEL
country, which has not only protected the lives and health of its people but also won precious time for the world’s fight against the virus. China has actively shared epidemic information
China has actively shared epidemic information and anti-epidemic experience with the World Health Organization (WHO) and other countries and held expert video conferences with more than 150 countries including Canada. and anti-epidemic experience with the World Health Organization (WHO) and other countries and held expert video conferences with more than 150 countries including Canada and international organizations including Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), European Union (EU), African Union (AU), Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
China has also been actively cooperating with other countries, including Canada, to carry out epidemic-related scientific research. The Chinese people have always advocated mutual help in adversity and reciprocation for kindness. At the most challenging moment in our fight against the outbreak, China received assistance and help from many members of the global community. Such expressions of friendship will always be remembered and cherished by the Chinese people. The Chinese side feels the same way when other countries suffer from the disease. Despite the still arduous prevention and control tasks at home, the Chinese side actively provides support to other countries. The Chinese government has provided or is providing emergency assistance to about 130 countries and international and regional organizations, including WHO and the AU, and has been delivering the medical supplies successively. China is prepared to deliver aid to Canada. The Chinese government has also donated 20 million US dollars to the WHO. China’s local governments, enterprises, and non-governmental organizations also extend a helping hand to countries severely suffering from the epidemic. China has also sent teams of medical experts on the COVID-19 pandemic other countries, including Italy, Iraq, Serbia, etc. 19 OTTAWALIFE SPRING 2020
