By LI Minggang, Chinese Ambassador to Kuwait
Currently, COVID-19 is sweeping the globe, posing a grave threat to people's lives and health and a formidable challenge to global public health security. Some have described it as the darkest moment faced by humanity in a century. In a time of increasingly challenging situation under the shadow of COVID-19, it is even more imperative for us to stay rational and sustain confidence with the aim of looking for solutions to contain COVID-19, and have faith that humanity will triumph over this health crisis. As Chinese President Xi Jinping pointed out in his article entitled “Solidarity and Cooperation are the Most Powerful Weapons for the International Community to Defeat COVID-19,” mankind is a community with a shared future. To defeat a disease that threatens all, solidarity and cooperation are the most powerful weapons. 

The Chinese government and people have exerted tremendous efforts and sacrifices in fighting against the COVID-19 outbreak, and have yielded significant results. China will never forget the valuable understanding and support from the international community during the most difficult moment in our battle against the virus. Accordingly, China is fully aware that only with global solidarity can the international community win the battle against this deadly virus. China has been shouldering its due responsibilities by supporting the global response to COVID-19 in an effort to fulfill China’s solid commitment to solidarity and cooperation.

To date, China has set up a special fund on COVID-19 cooperation worth 2 billion yuan (KD 87 million), provided anti-epidemic supplies to over 150 countries and international organizations, shared experience on prevention, control, diagnosis and treatment with the rest of the international community, established online knowledge center on epidemic prevention and control that is open to all countries, and held over 120 video conferences with more than 160 countries and international organizations. In the spirit of mutual support, China is not only reaching out to developing countries with vulnerable healthcare systems, but also extending its outreach to the hard-hit developed countries in Europe and the US. At the most difficult times when the world is combating COVID-19?the Chinese medical expert teams put themselves in harm’s way and headed to many parts of the world to support the global response, which shows their fearlessness and strong sense of commitment. China, running at full steam around the clock, has been providing anti-epidemic supplies to other countries to the best of its ability, which gives sustained support for ensuring crucial strategic supplies in the global fight against COVID-19. According to incomplete statistics, from March 1 to April 30, China exported 27.8 billion face masks and 73.41 million COVID-19 test kits. China is producing medical supplies the world needs at record speed to help people get through the trying times.

Since the outbreak, China and Kuwait has been mutually supporting each other in the spirit of sincerity, setting a good example for countries in anti-epidemic cooperation. President Xi Jinping and His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah exchanged letters to express solidarity with each other. At the critical moments in China's fight against the epidemic, Kuwait donated $3 million of medical supplies to China, and China has been facilitating Kuwait in procuring medical supplies from China, with over 10 Kuwaiti Air Force planes heading to China for bringing medical supplies back to Kuwait. The Kuwaiti Ministry of Health attended three video conferences held by the Chinese side to discuss COVID-19 response and exchange experience. In an effort to aid fight against COVID-19, a Chinese medical expert team visited Kuwait and had in-depth discussions with the Kuwaiti counterparts to exchange experience in epidemic response and COVID-19 diagnosis and treatment, which demonstrates the great spirit of love across borders and our genuine friendship in times of need.

Viruses respect no borders. The only way to defeat them is through concerted efforts of all. As His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah stressed in his speech, fighting the COIVD-19 epidemic necessitates the concerted efforts of the entire international community and the joint endeavors of scientists and medical specialists to develop an effective vaccine for the virus. Kuwait has been keen to support global humanitarian causes. Under the wise leadership of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah as a Humanitarian Leader, Kuwait has made a total donation of $100 million in contribution to the global COVID-19 response, which adequately reflects the Kuwaiti government’s great significance attached to international anti-epidemic cooperation. We appreciate and greatly value the humanitarian contribution from the Kuwaiti government.
As the Covid-19 pandemic continues ravaging the world, more and more countries have come to realize that protecting the health and security of their own people means preserving global health security, and helping other countries in containing the outbreak helps to alleviate their burden, as only through solidarity can the international community foster greater efforts.

However, we regret that as people all around the world are joining hands in fighting the epidemic, some politicians attempt to label the virus, politicize COVID-19 and continuingly stigmatize and tarnish other countries. It is worth underlining that human history is an evolutionary process of constant battles and adaptation between humans and nature. The novel coronavirus may appear in any place in the world, and its origin should be researched by scientists worldwide. Slanders, smears, blame games and lies will not help tackle the crisis, but will only waste more time and even lead to more loss of lives. Our common foe is the virus rather than each other. Putting political expediency before people’s lives and health and spreading “political virus” are more worthy of vigilance than the novel coronavirus itself.
As the most professional international institution with the highest authority in global public health security, the World Health Organization (WHO) plays an irreplaceable role in the face of global public health crisis. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the WHO, under the leadership of Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has played a leading and coordinating role in promoting international anti-epidemic cooperation by actively fulfilling its responsibilities, which has been widely recognized and highly praised by the international community.
The 73rd Session of the WHO’s World Health Assembly (WHA) will take place today, May 18, 2020. It is believed that the WHA will further foster international solidarity and promote the global COVID-19 containment efforts. Both China and Kuwait have all along advocated and practiced multilateralism, actively carried out international anti-epidemic cooperation, and extended unwavering support for the United Nations and the World Health Organization’s leading role in coordinating international cooperation against COVID-19. Supporting WHO is to safeguarding international solidarity in the battle against the disease. We have reasons to believe that, with firm confidence and a collective response in solidarity, humanity will prevail over this outbreak and embrace a brighter future.