By Li Bijian
BEIJING: The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is a global challenge that seriously threatens the health safety and well-being of mankind, as well as the economic and social development of various countries. It needs to be addressed through global solidarity, mutual assistance and multilateral cooperation. The pandemic truly has some impact on the Belt and Road cooperation, but it is temporary and partial. While recognizing the core role of the United Nations in promoting and coordinating a global response to the spread of COVID-19, and the key leadership role of the World Health Organization (WHO), regional initiatives, organizations and arrangements have played a pivotal role in fighting against the pandemic and promoting economic and social development. From the overall and long-term perspective, with mitigation of the effects of the pandemic, the foundation for the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative will be stronger, the momentum will be more abundant, and the prospects will be broader.
The Belt and Road initiative has become an important platform for partners to fight against the pandemic.
The construction of sanitary cooperation system under the Belt and Road Initiative has taken shape since 2015. China issued a three-year implementation plan for sanitary communication and cooperation and signed a memorandum with WHO. Other sanitary cooperation under the multilateral system like Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has been also tightened ever since. After the outbreak of the pandemic, China and the countries along the corridors of Belt and Road have been helping each other and fighting against the pandemic: supporting each other in efforts to combat the pandemic; cooperating in response and control through timely sharing of necessary information, diagnosis and treatment experience and best practices; strengthening and upgrading public health system capabilities; promoting dialogues among health experts and providing assistance to countries in need to defeat the pandemic.
The Belt and Road infrastructure projects and cross-regional transportation and logistics channels have been playing an important role in protecting the supply chain and promoting smooth international trade, which is critical to ensure people’s livelihood during the pandemic. For example, energy project under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has continued to operate, providing Pakistan with one-third of its electricity. China-Europe trains maintain a high frequency, and the “steel camel team” has played an active role in ensuring the transportation of anti-pandemic materials.
– The Daily Mail-Beijing Review News exchange item
