FMG chairman urges China support
MINING giant Fortescue Metals Group has urged Australia not to overreact to the coronavirus outbreak by allowing fear to trump empathy.
In a joint statement, FMG chairman and mining magnate Andrew Forrest and chief executive officer Elizabeth Gaines said that now was the time to reach out and support the members of the Chinese community and show that the nation stands with them.
“Like so many global epidemics before it – Ebola, SARS or AIDS – we can lose sight of those who are sick or have lost loved ones and those who are helping others or working to contain the harm of the virus,” they said.
“Our hearts go out to all the Chinese Australians affected, especially with increasing reports of this community being the subject of fear-driven racism within our own borders.
“We call for compassion because we have come to know the Chinese people well over the past 30 years and have been regular visitors to their country.
“There are many more similarities between Australians and our Chinese neighbours than differences, and while their political system is different to ours, as a people, they are driven by compassion and desire for a better future for their communities.”
The statement said the level of alarm about the potentially deadly virus was to be expected.
“As Australia’s chief medical officer Brendan Murphy has noted, Australia has been one of the most proactive countries,” it stated.
“This is a global challenge however, and we must take these necessary precautions with compassion and humanity.
“While the worst news may still be ahead of us, China will recover and has demonstrated its commitment to protect its people and the citizens of the world, despite the hard, shortterm impact these measures will have on its economy.
“Australia’s relationship with
China is multi-layered and complex, however as good friends, neighbours and trading partners, it is pretty simple – the Chinese people deserve our support.”
The statement said Australia had endured terrible bushfires and would take years to recover as it rapidly developed techniques to help mitigate the reoccurrence of fires and devastation of this scale.
“We have been fortunate to receive an enormous outpouring of love and support from around the globe,” it said.
“China is now dealing with its own critical emergency and needs the support and understanding of the international community.
“The most useful thing we can do is assist people who are directly impacted or at risk, including by donating to organisations on the ground that are providing shelter, masks, and medical supplies.”
FMG has donated thousands of face masks to support health workers in the immediate response and will provide $1 million to to support the conversion of the WISCO Sports Stadium into a 300-bed shelter hospital (see story above).
“We will look for other ways to provide meaningful help, but the little things we can do to support each other are just as important,” Mr Forrest and Ms Gaines said.
“Like going to your local Chinese restaurant or reaching out with a hand and a smile to any Chinese person. It all sends the critical signal that we stand together.
“We are confident the Chinese people will rebound with the resilience they have demonstrated time and again over thousands of years and Fortescue will continue to support China throughout this hardship and beyond.
“Now is the time to remember we are common and unique, the one people on our little planet. We are all vulnerable and we all need each other.”