By Yan Huan, People’s Daily
China is taking active steps to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus, and it is actively sharing data with international partners to strengthen the global response and help other countries prepare, said Li Yinuo, director of the China office of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
“We pay respect to the efforts made by the frontline responders which have earned valuable time for the world to contain the worldwide spread of the virus,” she noted.
In a letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping on Feb. 6, Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, expressed support for the Chinese people for their fight against the novel coronavirus epidemic (COVID-19), and commended those battling on the frontline for their determination and courage.
In his reply letter to the U.S. business leader, Xi thanked Gates for his support for China’s fight against the virus, and called for enhanced international coordination and concerted efforts in the international community for the sake of health and well-being of all.
After receiving the letter from Xi, Gates wrote to the Chinese President again to express his appreciation. He said the severity of the health crisis highlights the need for continued investment in R&D and closer global collaboration on pandemic preparedness. He believes that China’s leadership on the frontlines of this epidemic and its commitment to working with multilateral and international partners will play a key role in helping the world not only tackle the challenge facing us now but also strengthen the foundation for improved global health outcomes in the long run.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is a long-term partner of China in the cooperation on disease control, poverty alleviation and many other fields. It is one of the earliest charity organizations to join the battle against the COVID-19.
The foundation committed $5 million in emergency funding to support China’s fight against COVID-19, and later pledged up to $100 million, part of which will help China accelerate the development of vaccines, treatments and diagnostics.
The foundation is actively promoting cooperation with relevant Chinese organizations to advance further study on the epidemiology of the novel coronavirus and make emergency response and implementation plans, Li told People’s Daily.
Besides, the foundation will also work with its Chinese partners to accelerate the development of instant test tools and vaccine candidates, figure out what is needed to initiate massive production of them and support the clinical research of relevant medicines in China, she added. So far, breakthroughs have been achieved in the research on test reagents funded by the foundation.
Li said the foundation is always committed to enhancing cooperation with China. “We firmly support China and the world to tackle the coronavirus outbreak, and will join hands with the country in wider health and development areas to embrace challenges,” she noted.
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