Our Correspondent
Beijing
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, holding a press conference via video link on the margins of the Third Session of the 13th National People’s Congress, said the most important thing we could learn from Covid-19 is that the life and health of people in different countries have never been so closely connected. Also, it has never been made so clear to us that all nations live in the same global village and that humanity is in fact a community with a shared future.
The virus respects no borders or races. It poses a challenge to all humans without distinction. Political manipulation will give the virus loopholes to exploit; a beggar-thy-neighbor approach will leave each of us more vulnerable; rejection of science will allow the virus to wreak greater havoc. With this in mind, President Xi Jinping has made the case to the world time and again that the virus is the common enemy of mankind, and that the only way to defeat it is to pull together with solidarity and cooperation, which are the most effective weapons against the virus.
Wang Yi said the US has become the worst affected country; with every day that passes, many innocent lives are taken by the virus. I would like to express deep sympathy for what the American people are going through, and our sincere hope and best wishes that they will defeat the virus and resume normal life and work soon. I call on the US side to stop wasting precious time and stop costing people’s lives. China and the US need to work together on a number of urgent things. We may share our experience and learn from each other’s best practices to bolster our respective responses to Covid-19.
He said, “China remains prepared to work with the US in the spirit of no conflict or confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation and build a relationship based on coordination, cooperation and stability.
Replying a question, Wang Yi said WHO is a specialized UN agency with a central role in coordinating global public health matters. Dr. Tedros was elected as Director General with an overwhelming majority. He has the full confidence of the international community.
Replying to another question, Wang Yi said that Covid-19 has affected Belt and Road cooperation to some extent, but the impact is temporary and limited. From an overall and long-term perspective, Covid-19 will only strengthen and re-energize Belt and Road cooperation and open up new possibilities.
