Wang Yi Addresses the Special Session of the UN General Assembly

On December 3, 2020, Special Representative of President Xi Jinping and Foreign Minister of China Wang Yi delivered a speech titled “Reinforce Global Cooperation with Renewed Solidarity to Defeat COVID-19” at the special session of the UN General Assembly in response to the COVID-19 pandemic via video link.

Wang pointed out that countries need to act decisively to contain the spread of the virus. He indicated that it is important to fully leverage science and technology to strengthen epidemic monitoring and early warning, patient tracing and testing, treatment and quarantine, and information sharing; and to promote a collective response around the world so as to curb cross-border spread of the virus.

Wang also emphasized the need to enhance solidarity and cooperation, coordinate COVID-19 control and economic and social development, and increase support to developing countries.

He said that defeating the pandemic requires concerted efforts from all countries. Public health security should be made a priority on the international agenda, accompanied by efforts to improve the governance system for public health security and strengthen emergency response capacity.

Wang indicated that China has put the people and their lives above everything else in its COVID-19 response from the beginning. China has taken the most comprehensive, rigorous, and thorough measures, and established a mechanism to coordinate medium- to long-term efforts on epidemic control and economic and social development. China has also launched the largest-ever global humanitarian campaign in the history of the People's Republic of China, engaged in the most intensive virtual exchanges, and stepped up to its responsibility as the largest supplier of anti-epidemic materials.