China, Africa demonstrate strong vitality of ties amid common COVID-19 fight

ADDIS ABABA, April 29 (Xinhua) -- The ever-growing China-Africa ties has shown vitality and strength amid the common fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, an Ethiopian official has said.

"Africa and China are all weather friends and the Sino-Africa strategic partnership has shown vitality and strength in this time of unprecedented challenges," said Dawit Yirga, Director General of Asia and Oceania Affairs at the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The director general's remarks came shortly after the latest batch of massive medical supplies donated by China to 12 African countries that arrived in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa through the Ethiopian Airlines Caro Services on Thursday.

Noting that the Chinese medical team to Ethiopia has came together with medical supplies shortly before, Yirga said that "we are indeed very grateful to China for its support and solidarity at this difficult moment in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic."

"Solidarity is indeed the bedrock of this (Africa-China) partnership and when the corona pandemic outbreak happened in China, Africa stood firmly in solidarity with China," he added.

Yirga, expressing appreciation to the "leadership and commitment of the people and government of China in successfully containing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic," also stressed that as COVID-19 spreads to across the globe, including in Africa, China is supporting the African continent.

"The support mobilized by the Chinese government and the private sector, including the Jack Ma Foundation, to assist the COVID-19 response efforts in Africa is very much appreciated," the director general stressed.

Noting China's "commendable willingness" in sharing its successful experience by deploying medical teams in Ethiopian and other African countries, Yirga also expressed his confidence that the "Sino-Africa strategic partnership, which has passed the test of time, will once again prove its resilience."

Noting the rapid increase of COVID-19 across different parts of the African continent, high-level officials and experts hailed China's donation for its great contribution to deal with the epidemic across the African continent.

The latest batch of medical supplies from Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Foundation include facial masks, disposable protective clothing, forehead thermometers, medical protective goggles, gloves and shoe covers for medical use, among other equipments, it was noted.

The medical supplies are expected to be transferred to 12 African countries and regions that are Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic (CAR), Chad, Djibouti, Lesotho, Madagascar, Namibia, Niger, Rwanda, Somalia as well as Tanzania's Zanzibar.

Ethiopia has already received medical supplies from China recently, while more is said to be on the way to the East African country, while another batch of China-aided medical supplies has been shipped to some other African countries via Accra, Ghana earlier this month.

According to the Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the death toll from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on the African continent reached 1,521 as the number of confirmed cases hit 34,915 as of Wednesday afternoon.