China has retreated that it will stay with Bangladesh to fight COVID-19 pandemic through addressing medical needs, continuing key projects here and sustaining bilateral trade and supply chains between the two nations.
“We shall stay with Bangladesh in this war against the common enemy,” Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jiming today wrote in an open letter, disseminated by the Chinese embassy here.
The Chinese envoy said his government will stay with Bangladesh in combating the deadly coronavirus disease that was first hit in Chinese mainland before becoming pandemic through providing various medical expertise and supplies.
Besides, he said, “We shall stay with Bangladesh in the implementation of key cooperation projects to make sure that both during and after the epidemic, Bangladeshi workers on the projects will remain employed and the construction will go on as long as the situation permits.”
He said so far China has donated 40,500 test kits, 15,000 surgical N95 masks, 300,000 medical masks, 10,000 protective gowns and 1,000 infrared thermometers to Bangladesh for medical workers and others who are most in need, “with more supplies to arrive in the near future”.
He said the Chinese embassy here is also going to organize a video conference between top Chinese medical experts and Bangladeshi doctors and nurses to provide training and instructions for managing the disease.
“We shall stay with Bangladesh in our bilateral trade and supply chains to help Bangladesh stabilize its market share and keep local factories up and running to produce critical medical equipment, with the Chinese airlines remaining in operation,” he wrote in the letter.
He said the impact of the epidemic on China and Bangladesh’s economies is temporary and controllable.
“The Chinese side will work hand in hand with the government of Bangladesh and all sectors of Bangladeshi society to contain the situation, to overcome the temporary difficulties and to emerge from the crisis with even stronger partnership,” he observed.
Praising that Bangladeshi government has undertaken a series of resolute, strong and effective measures to curb the disease, he said there are inevitably concerns over how the situation will evolve.
“At this crucial stage in the fight against the epidemic, the Embassy of China wishes to express its full confidence in Bangladesh and the solidarity of the local Chinese community with our Bangladeshi friends,” he said
Noting that this year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Bangladesh, the ambassador said over the years pragmatic cooperation in all fields between the two countries has been greatly expanded, which benefits not only the two countries but also the entire region.
“Through solidarity and mutual support, China and Bangladesh will prevail over this outbreak, and together we shall embrace a brighter future for mankind,” he said.
Li Jiming also recalled Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s letter of sympathy and support to Chinese President Xi Jinping as well as the Bangladesh’s government and civil societies donation of various kinds of medical and health supplies to the Chinese people while they were fighting hard against coronavirus.
“We are deeply touched by the people of Bangladesh as you firmly stand by the Chinese people in the fight against COVID-19,” he said.
