China sharing knowledge, resources to fight COVID-19

From sharing epidemic prevention and control experience to offering emergency medical aid, China has been actively promoting international cooperation in various fields to fight the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic with the rest of world.

The latest diagnosis and treatment plan, prevention and control plan and other technical documents have been compiled, translated and promptly shared with over 180 countries and more than 10 international and regional organizations, said Zeng Yixin, deputy director of the National Health Commission (NHC), at a press conference in Beijing.

He said that a meeting to share China's epidemic prevention and control experience was jointly held by the NHC and the WHO, which was attended by representatives from 77 countries and seven international organizations and was watched by over 100,000 people online.

China has also established an online knowledge center in the field of epidemic control and clinical treatment, as well as an expert database for international cooperation, Zeng said, adding that nearly 30 technical exchange meetings have been held with more than 100 countries and regions by video links.

In the meantime, China has also provided assistance to 89 countries and four international organizations.

Chinese medical workers and supplies have been sent to 28 Asian countries, 16 European countries, 26 African countries, nine countries in the Americas and 10 countries in the South Pacific, Deng Boqing, deputy head of the China International Development Cooperation Agency, said at the same press conference.

On the premise of fully ensuring domestic epidemic control, China has properly formulated its aid plan and offered assistance to other countries within its capability, Deng said.

Noting China is facing rising risks of imported cases of the novel coronavirus disease, Deng said China's assistance to other countries is conducive to the global fight against the virus and will consolidate its hard-won achievements in containing the spread.

Chinese researchers' contributions were also recognized by the global scientific and technological community.

For example, China shared the first completed genome sequence of the novel coronavirus on Jan. 11 and had built two platforms to share its scientific developments.

One of the platforms, the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Resource (2019nCoVR) database, has recorded more than 4 million downloads by users from 152 countries and regions as of Wednesday, according to Vice Minister of Science and Technology Xu Nanping.

Sharing scientific data and information is China's fundamental attitude to the COVID-19 control, said Xu.