PR
At around 1:30p.m. on April 5, twelve members of the China’s Medical Expert Team arrived at Manila international airport, together with another batch of medical supplies donated by Chinese government to the Philippines. The welcome and turnover ceremony was graced by Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian and Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr., Secretary Dr. Francisco Duque III of Department of Health, Secretary Martin Andanar of Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), Secretary Alfonso Cusi of Department of Energy (Vice Chairman of PDP-Laban) and Presidential Chief Protocol and Foreign Affairs Adviser Robert Borje.
Ambassador Huang said upon the request of the Philippine government, the Chinese government has dispatched this Medical Expert Team to assist the Philippines in its fight against the COVID-19 epidemic. We are also donating today another batch of medical supplies to the Philippines, including 300,000 surgical masks, 30,000 medical N95 masks, 5,000 medical protective suits, 5,000 medical face shields, and 30 non-invasive ventilators.
“Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in the Philippines in early March, China has been providing support and assistance to the Philippines to the best of its ability. Besides the Chinese central government, Chinese local governments, organizations, companies and individuals have also extended a helping hand with huge amount of donations to the Philippine government and people”, added Ambassador Huang.
Ambassador Huang stressed that the Chinese Medical Expert Team to the Philippines is the among the first three teams sent by the Chinese government to ASEAN countries. Most of team members have had front line experience in Hubei province to fight against the epidemic. He hoped the arrival of this team would help the Philippines to improve its ability of epidemic prevention and control as well as diagnosis and treatment, so as to boost the confidence of the public in overcoming the COVID-19.
Ambassador Huang also voiced his belief that the Chinese government will always stand together with the Philippine government and people to cope with the challenges and overcome the epidemic.
Secretary Locsin warmly welcomed the arrival of China’s Medical Expert Team and expressed his deep gratitude from the bottom of heart to Chinese government and people. He stressed that China’s help “is deeply appreciated, never be forgotten” by the Philippines. He said COVID-19 is a brand new virus and China is the first to have taken a hit on it so Chinese experts are “ those who fought it on the ground and the only ones who can really tell us how to handle the epidemic”. “China’s medical experts are going to share their experience with the Philippines on how to fight it, how to contain it, and hopefully one day how to cure it”, Secretary Locsin added.
Ambassador Huang also attended two other brief turnover ceremonies of surgical masks respectively with PCOO Secretary Martin Andanar and PDP-Laban Vice Chairman and Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi. The surgical masks are donated by China National Radio and Television Administration and International Liaison Department of the Communist Party of China.
