China is extending aid and support to other countries facing severe COVID-19 outbreak as the situation is gradually stabilizing within the country, reciprocating favor it received from other countries in the earlier stage of fighting COVID-19 and playing the role as a responsible power, Chinese experts noted on Sunday, March 1.
Such actions included donating medical equipment to Japan and sending professional medical team to Iran. As the country that suffered the epidemic first and has achieved significant progress battling the disease, China can help other countries with its valuable experience and capability, they noted.
The novel coronavirus outbreak appears to have entered a new stage with new infection cases continue rising outside of China, raising fears of a worldwide pandemic, while the situation has been largely brought under control inside China.
The World Health Organization (WHO) increased its COVID-19 risk assessment to “very high at a global level” last week as nearly 54 countries and regions reported cases within their borders. It is now also a daunting challenge for China to prevent infection cases imported from foreign countries.
“At the early stage, China looks like the only victim of the emergency,” said Jin Canrong, associate dean of Renmin University of China’s School of International Studies in Beijing. “The whole nation was in great risks and knew very little about the virus, plus facing unfair judgments and baseless accusations from the West, especially the US.”
Many countries offered help to Chinese at that time, Jin said, “Now it is time for us to return the favor.”
COVID-19 doesn’t target specific countries or races, the Chinese experts said. The virus represents a non-traditional security challenge requiring joint international efforts.
As the first country that was hit by the virus and also sacrificed hugely for containing the outbreak, China has accumulated valuable experiences and knowledge that could help other countries in virus control and this is what a “responsible great power” should do, they said.
