Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday stressed the importance of bilateral cooperation in combating the new coronavirus.
During phone talks with Wang, Shoukry said that Egypt strongly supports China’s efforts to combat the outbreak and stands ready to provide assistance within its capabilities – adding that Egypt believes that China will ultimately achieve total victory over the virus.
African countries will always stand firmly with China in the face of difficulties, he said.
Wang said that China and Africa are good friends, enjoying mutual trust and mutual support.
It was China, he added, who first rushed to the aid of African countries during the Ebola outbreak, which left a new chapter in China-Africa friendship and cooperation.
Likewise, the African countries’ full understanding and support for China’s fight against the current epidemic will once again reinforce the friendship between the two sides.
He explained that with China’s strong party leadership, rich experience gained from fighting SARS, great nationwide mobilization capacity and through solidarity and support from the international community, China has full confidence in prevailing over this epidemic and maintaining its development trajectory.
Wang emphasized that China’s epidemic control efforts are not only protecting the safety and health of its own people, but also contributing to international public health.
He pointed out that the World Health Organization hailed China’s measures as setting a new standard for global outbreak response and says it does not recommend international travel or trade restrictions.
China will continue to communicate with Egypt to maintain cooperation between the two countries, Wang said.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
