Opinions & Interviews

Belarus-China cooperation to fight COVID-19 viewed as exemplary

An archive photo

MINSK, 14 November (BelTA) – Cooperation between Belarus and China in the fight against the coronavirus can be named exemplary, Belarusian Healthcare Minister Dmitry Pinevich said ahead of a ceremony to sign documents on the transfer of humanitarian cargo - two million doses of vaccine against COVID-19 - from China to Belarus on 14 November, BelTA has learned.

“The character of both individuals and entire countries is especially well demonstrated in a critical situation. The cooperation between Belarus and China in the fight against coronavirus can rightfully be called exemplary,” said Dmitry Pinevich.

In his words, China’s announcement of the beginning of the pandemic was a strong and courageous move by China's leader toward the global community. “We have watched and adopted the experience of how the whole country was mobilized under the personal leadership of Chinese President Xi Jinping, how China made tremendous efforts and, in the end, achieved significant strategic results in the fight against the coronavirus infection,” the minister said.

Dmitry Pinevich noted that Belarus values friendship with the Chinese people. Upon the order of Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko, Belarus was the first country to send a plane with humanitarian aid to China. A second plane was sent later.

When the pandemic reached Belarus, China sent big humanitarian assistance to the country. Another tranche comprising two million doses of vaccine and two million disposable syringes was handed over on Friday night. The agreement was reached at a meeting of the leaders of the two countries in Samarkand as part of the SCO Heads of State Council.

Taking into account this batch, China transferred about five million doses of the vaccine to Belarus as humanitarian aid in 2021-2022. About the same amount was purchased by Belarus. From April 2020 to the present day, China has provided the equivalent of $25 million in gratuitous aid. Personal protective equipment (PPE), medical and diagnostic equipment have been delivered to Belarus.

According to the minister, China’s experience in diagnostics and treatment of the coronavirus infection, which was openly shared by specialists of the People's Republic of China during numerous videoconferences, was timely and extremely important.

Moreover, active cooperation between Belarus and China in the field of medicine and biotechnology is constantly strengthening. Fruitful results have been achieved. A number of high-tech enterprises and research institutions have become residents of the China-Belarus industrial park Great Stone, the decision to create which was made by Aleksandr Lukashenko and Xi Jinping. The China-Belarus Industrial Park is now a special economic zone with a special legal regime. The priority areas for the park are biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, new materials, e-commerce, and big data storage and processing.

In general, as the past 30 years have shown, the interaction between the countries has strengthened and become closer, and the friendship between the two peoples has become even stronger, Dmitry Pinevich concluded.

print version

make home page

add to bookmarks