A woman holds a placard in front of the Tel Aviv Municipality Hall to show her support for China's fight against COVID-19, Tel Aviv, Israel, February 11, 2020. /Xinhua
Just as China helps the world battle COVID-19, countries and international communities around the globe have also been supporting China, especially during its toughest time during the pandemic.
The support includes emergency medical supplies like masks, protective suits and ventilators donated by 77 countries and 12 international organizations, said in a white paper titled "Fighting COVID-19: China in Action" published in June 2020 by the State Council Information Office.
"China appreciates the understanding and support of the international community, which our people will always cherish," the white paper said. The Chinese nation never forgets the help and generosity it receives, and always reciprocates with the same goodwill, it added.
On January 30, 2020, South Korean foreign ministry announced to extend $5 million in emergency assistance to China. It also sent anti-pandemic materials, including 2 million masks and 100,000 pieces of protective suits. Some of the supplies arrived in the virus-hit central Chinese city of Wuhan that night.
Pakistan allocated 300,000 medical masks, 800 protective suits and 6,800 pairs of gloves from the stocks of public hospitals across the country and sent them to China on February 1, 2020.
Other countries like Singapore, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Germany, France, Australia, Iran and Turkey also donated medical supplies to China for helping the country fight the pandemic.
According to the white paper, the international communities provided "valuable support and assistance" to China when the country was at its most difficult time in combating COVID-19.
In February 2020, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) announced to donate medical supplies through initial emergency funding of $500,000 to help China's medical staff on the frontline.
The UNDP and the United Nations system stand firmly with China during this critical time, said UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner, adding that the UNDP country office in Beijing is working closely with relevant authorities "to provide emergency support with the procurement of critical medical supplies."
Medical supplies provided by the UN Development Program to help China combat the COVID-19, Beijing, China, February 12, 2020. /Xinhua
In response to China's emergency financing needs for public health infrastructure to manage the spread of COVID-19, the international banks also lent a helping hand.
For instance, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank offered loans to help China build its public health emergency management system.
In March 2021, the BRICS New Development Bank (NDB) approved 7 billion yuan (about $1.03 billion) of emergency assistance program loans to support China's economic recovery from COVID-19.
The loan is the second emergency loan approved by the NDB to help China during the pandemic. Also in 2020, it provided 7 billion yuan of emergency loan to China.
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) offered 2.485 billion yuan ($0.37 billion) of emergency loans to China in April 2020, aiming to support the sustainable development of the public health infrastructure, system and emergency response.
The loans are expected to help build resilient public health infrastructures to "effectively mitigate risks to their populations associated with outbreaks of communicable disease," said AIIB Vice President of Investment Operations Konstantin Limitovskiy.
Donations of anti-pandemic materials were also made by local governments, enterprises, non-governmental organizations and people from 84 countries, the white paper said.
In February 2020, governments, organizations and individuals in Japan donated emergency supplies including over 6.3 million masks, 1 million pairs of gloves, 179,000 sets of protective gear, 78,000 pairs of goggles, 16,000 thermometers and 1.15 tonnes of disinfectant to China, according to the Chinese Embassy in Japan.
"Since the outbreak of the epidemic, the Japanese government and people have expressed sympathy, understanding and support to us," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said at an online press briefing.
A Japanese girl wearing a red Chinese cheongsam bows deeply to passers-by with a donation box in hands to raise money to help those in China affected by COVID-19 at the Chinese Lantern Festival, Tokyo, Japan, February 8, 2020. /Xinhua
The U.S. private sector also donated a batch of medical supplies to China, including 2 million masks, in February 2020, according to the U.S.- China Business Council (USCBC).
"This is the time to demonstrate our shared humanity and dedication to the common good," said USCBC President Craig Allen, adding that they particularly want to help and honor the courageous healthcare workers throughout China.
Moreover, 86 Cambodian families donated over 5,000 masks for Chinese doctors at Fuwai Yunnan Cardiovascular Hospital in southwest China's Yunnan province. Children for these families had recovered from congenital heart diseases after free surgeries and treatment in Yunnan in the past two years.
According to the white paper, leaders of more than 170 countries, heads of 50 international and regional organizations, as well as over 300 foreign political parties and organizations expressed solidarity and support for China through phone calls, letters and statements.
In a phone call with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in February 2020, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the EU would try its best to utilize every single available resource to lend a helping hand to China.
The EU would coordinate with relevant member nations to provide convenience to China in purchasing medical supplies, she said, adding that the EU highly respects and recognizes the epidemic prevention and control measures taken by China.