Asahi Shimbun:

What is the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on China's U.N. peacekeeping operations? Has anyone been infected among the overseas force? Thank you.

Luo Wei: 

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, President Xi Jinping and the leadership of the Central Military Commission have attached great importance to the prevention and control of the epidemic among military staff carrying out overseas missions. In this regard, we have adopted four main measures as follows:

First, we established an epidemic response mechanism. We have maintained close communication and coordination with the U.N. and peacekeeping missions and set up an emergency response mechanism for reporting cases among overseas peacekeeping forces, and kept close track of the epidemic prevention and control and staff health in the host countries and areas for missions.

Second, we have conducted stricter staff control. We have strengthened the self-protection awareness and ability of overseas peacekeeping forces to conduct strict individual protection and organized epidemic prevention and control drills. We have undertaken strict review of personnel into and out of the camps by setting up temperature checkpoints at the camp entrance. We have special places to receive visitors from outside, and have strictly controlled gathering activities.

Third, we have enhanced the raising of materials and medical treatment. In accordance with the needs of epidemic prevention and control and carrying out missions, we have organized materials, equipment and related drugs, purchasing masks, protective suits, and disinfectants. We have standardized the procedures for receiving patients during the epidemic, required medical staff to carefully protect themselves from the epidemic and strengthened remote medical assistance.

Fourth, we have conducted strict quarantine before dispatching peacekeepers or after their return. Prior to the dispatch of peacekeepers, we strictly implement the requirements of a 15-day quarantine for medical observation, strengthen professional training in epidemic prevention and control, equip them with personal protective gear and necessary epidemic prevention equipment, carry out nucleic acid testing for all of them and conduct disinfection and protection treatment for materials transported by sea and air. All the peacekeepers have been strictly quarantined upon their return to China. All Chinese peacekeepers overseas are in good health. Thank you.