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Beijing: China will help and support countries with weaker health systems to strengthen their ability to prevent and control the novel coronavirus, and maintain regional and global public health security.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the remarks at Tuesday’s press conference, responding to the World Health Organization’s call to support those vulnerable countries against the spread of the virus.
African countries immediately provided China with valuable support and assistance after the outbreak and have always appreciated China’s efforts in fighting the virus, Zhao added.
“In times of crisis, African countries are standing with China. This is the best expression of the concept of a community with a shared
future for mankind,” he said.
“We will remember the help and friendship, and implement the outcomes of jointly building the Belt and Road and the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC),” he noted.
Before the Q&A session foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian shared latest figures. “According to the NHC update this morning, February 24 saw 2,589 patients cured and discharged from hospital in China’s mainland, bringing the total number of cured cases to 27,323 as of 24:00, February 24”, he said.
To a question on China-Serbian bilateral relation, he responded that State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will hold talks with First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Dačić. This visit, paid after a three-year interval, comes at an unusual time as the Chinese government and people are making all-out efforts to fight against the COVID-19. It demonstrates the strong friendship and support that the Serbian government and people have towards China. We believe this visit will be important for China and Serbia to implement important consensus between our leaders, deepen political mutual trust, and advance practical cooperation in various fields. China and Serbia enjoy profound traditional friendship. Serbia was the first central and eastern European country to establish a comprehensive strategic partnership with China. Recent years have seen frequent high-level exchanges, stronger political mutual trust, fruitful practical cooperation and close people-to-people and sub-national exchanges between us. China stands ready to promote sustained and sound development of China-Serbia relations under the Belt and Road Initiative and the China-CEEC cooperation framework.
To another question regarding Gui Minhai prison sentence, he said On February 24, on the charge of illegally supplying intelligence for entities outside the territory of China, the Ningbo Intermediate People’s Court sentenced Gui Minhai to 10 years in jail. He’s also stripped of political rights for 5 years. Illegally providing intelligence to overseas is an act that seriously undermines China’s national security and interests. China is a country ruled by law. Our judicial organ dealt with the case strictly in accordance with law, passed the ruling and has fully protected Gui Minhai’s legitimate rights and interests. China firmly opposes interference in its internal affairs and judicial sovereignty in any form by anyone, any organization or any country.
Ningbo is Gui Minhai’s ancestral hometown. In 1996, Gui obtained Sweden citizenship. In 2018, Gui voluntarily applied to China’s public security organs for restoration of Chinese citizenship, and the application was lawfully approved. According to China’s Nationality Law, our country don’t recognize dual nationality for any Chinese national, and a person whose application for reinstatement as a Chinese national has been approved shall not retain foreign nationality. As such, after Gui restored his Chinese nationality, according to law, he is recognized as a Chinese citizen only.I believe this answers your question. To a next question related to WIPO, the spokesperson said that China is a leading country in global innovation and intellectual property. China’s candidate nomination shows its readiness to contribute to international IP cooperation and development. The Chinese candidate, Ms. Wang Binying, is an outstanding international IP expert, who has been serving WIPO for nearly three decades and enjoys high esteem both inside the organization and in the realm of international intellectual property. She is considered the most competent, competitive and experienced among the candidates, whose nomination also meets the aspiration for stronger female leadership in international bodies to achieve gender equality in the international community.
However, as witnessed by the world, in order to oppress China, the US is doing all it can to pressure other countries to give up their support for the Chinese candidate under the slogan of “Anyone But Chinese”. They’ve even tried to threaten and blackmail those countries by cutting aids and other disgraceful means. As China is making all-out efforts to fight the COVID-19 epidemic, the US colludes with some other countries to sabotage the Chinese candidate’s election. It is morally unacceptable to take advantage of others’ difficulties.
All elections must follow the principle of fair competition and go by rules. But the US, in disregard of rules and out of its own political agenda, has wantonly smeared and oppressed China. I wonder, what right does the US have to turn a professional election into a political game?
All sovereign countries have the right to independently cast their vote based on their own considerations and interests. The US has no candidate of its own, but only the right to decide its own vote. I wonder, what right does the US have to dictate and impose its will on others?
Western countries, including the US, stand for the principle of competency-first and women-first in international organizations. I wonder, why the US just tears off its cloak of hypocrisy and abandons its principles and standards when it comes to China? We are fully confident in Ms. Wang Binying’s competence. We also respect the candidates of the other five countries and would like to see a fair and friendly competition. We believe countries that champion justice and principles will firmly reject the immoral behavior of the US and defend a fair and impartial election.
A question concerning the poor state of developing countries and the threat of Coronavirus spread, he said, that We noted Director-General Tedros’ remarks. Since the outbreak of the epidemic, the Chinese government and people have been making all-out efforts to counter it. The most stringent and thorough measures have been taken and relevant efforts are showing their effects. As the Director-General pointed out, it was because of China’s strong measures that cross-border spread of the epidemic has been effectively contained and global preparedness has been allowed time for. During China’s fight against the virus, many developing countries including African countries gave us valuable support and help at the earliest time possible despite their limited resources. The 36th Ordinary Session of the AU Executive Council and the latest AU Peace and Security Council meeting issued communiques not long ago, in which African countries expressed their solidarity with China in the efforts against COVID-19. During the recently concluded emergency AU meeting of African health ministers, countries also lauded China’s epidemic control measures. African countries standing with China in times of adversity is a perfect demonstration of a community with a shared future for mankind. “Receiving drips of water when in need, and I shall return the kindness with a spring.” Reciprocating an act of kindness is our nation’s fine tradition. We will remember the friendship and assistance we received, continue to implement the FOCAC Beijing Summit outcomes and act on the vision of building a community with a shared future, support those countries with weaker health systems as much as we can to help them defeat the virus, and safeguard regional and global public health security.
