Chinese medical experts and Pakistani officials pose for a group photo at the Islamabad International Airport in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan, March 28, 2020. An 8-member medical expert team organized by the Chinese government arrived to help Pakistan fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo:Xinhua

 
The novel coronavirus has inspired widespread, drastic action from countries across the globe. The number of coronavirus cases has mushroomed to over 410 thousand as of the 25th morning. As COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, spreads, governments, businesses and individuals around the world have undertaken unprecedented, wartime-esqe measures. Countries have been put into lockdown, schools closed, events canceled, factories shuttered, millions told to work from home and emergency funds released. No economic cost has been too big to stem the spread of the disease.

Humanity shines through the dark cloud of the pandemic. Though China is still facing a severe situation at home with rather tight medical supplies, the country will further strengthen cooperation as well as share information and experience with other countries and organizations in response to the COVID-19 challenge and together build a community with a shared future for mankind. 

"You throw a peach to me, I give you a white jade for friendship". It is China's traditional virtue to repay goodwill with greater kindness. The Chinese will never forget the political support from the international community during their hardest times, as well as the medical supplies received from 79 countries and 10 international organizations. China will continue to contribute to the battle against the coronavirus by actions rather than slogans.

China curbs the spread of the novel coronavirus. Wuhan, a city which has 3 million more residents than New York City, has thought in big picture term. 11 million people shut themselves in their homes for the first time in human history and most forms of traffic have been banned aiming to try to minimize the spread of the virus. The Huoshenshan Hospital, a makeshift hospital with 1,000 beds dedicated to treating patients infected with the coronavirus, was completed in a record 10 days. China bought the rest of the world 45 days to prepare for the disease at considerable human and economic cost. 

"It is an epidemic that has been nipped as it was growing and stopped in its tracks. This is very clear from the data that we have, as well as the observations that we can see in society in general. The containment was effective and did allow the rest of China to be able to contain the outbreak in a very effective manner, " said Dr. Gauden Galea, a senior official with the World Health Organization (WHO). Michael Ryan, executive director of the WHO health emergencies program, praised China's response to the deadly outbreak, saying: "The challenge is great but the response has been massive." 

China provides experts and essential supplies to the international community. Facts tell no lies. The Chinese government has delivered medical supplies to Pakistan, Laos, Thailand, Iran, the ROK, Japan, the African Union and other countries, donated $20 million to the WHO, and announced assistance to be delivered to dozens of countries including Italy, France, Spain, Greece, Serbia, the EU, Cambodia, the Philippines, Egypt, South Africa, Iraq, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Cuba and Chile. "Italy has already asked to activate the European Union mechanism of civil protection for the supply of medical equipment for individual protection. But unfortunately not a single EU country responded to the commission's call. Only China responded bilaterally," Italian Ambassador to EU Maurizio Massari said on Politico's website on March 10th.

The local governments, enterprises and civil institutions also made donations to other countries. Reuters has reported that with Italy's health system under severe pressure from the COVID-19  outbreak, help is being flown in from China. On March 18, Zhejiang Province sent 12 specialist doctors and over 9 tonnes of medical supplies to Italy ready to help tackle the sharp spike in people with the disease, which has overwhelmed medical facilities. Plus the batch already been sent, Zhejiang has donated 35.4 tonnes of goods to Italy in total. 

China continues experience-sharing with other countries. According to the latest statistics, China has shared multiple technical documents with over 100 countries and a dozen of international and regional organizations, such as plans on epidemic prevention and treatment. Also, it conducted 20 technological exchanges with international and regional organizations and relevant countries through teleconference and other ways, sharing its experience on lab testing, epidemiological investigation as well as clinical diagnosis and treatment. 

Alibaba Cloud offers free CT Image Analytics for COVID-19 for hospitals and medical institutes worldwide. A CT diagnosis with this technology for a suspected case can be completed in 20 seconds with accuracy over 96%. This technology has been deployed in more than 160 hospitals in China and completed 260,000 clinical cases. With openness, transparency and a high sense of responsibility for global public health security and people's well-being, China will continue information-sharing with the international community.

Epidemic knows no borders. China will continue to join hands with global countries to overcome the difficulties and actively support and participate in international cooperation on science and technology including medicines, vaccines and testing reagents. China will proceed to contribute her wisdom and proposals to securing an early global victory over the virus, safeguarding regional and international public health security and promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.