Solidarity needed for global fight against outbreak

Belarus has always had friendly ties with China and, like many other countries, it has praised China’s fight against the novel coronavirus pandemic. China’s strong leadership, advanced healthcare facilities and research to develop new drugs and improve medical treatment are all valuable examples for other countries to learn from. For instance, the abundant supply of ventilators and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation machines in China played a key role in the recovery of a large number of COVID-19 patients.

In the fight against the epidemic, Belarus is taking scientific and specific measures suited to its national conditions by drawing on the positive experiences of China.

On the international front, the Chinese government has dispatched medical supplies such as testing kits, personal protective equipment, thermometers and disposable gloves to Belarus and many other countries to help them fight the pandemic. The first consignment of Chinese medical supplies has arrived in Belarus, and the rest will be delivered in batches. Incidentally, Chinese enterprises and cities respectively will send the third and fourth batches of the medical supplies to Belarus.

Belarusian scientists believe that exchange of ideas, cooperation among experts from various countries and joint research will boost the fight against the outbreak, and help the world better deal with COVID-19-like infectious diseases, which in turn will pave the way for further global collaboration to meet future global health emergencies.

In the global village we live in, no country can be safe until all countries are safe. Everyone is a part of a whole. As China says, we are a community of shared future. And only by working together can we solve the economic, social, political and other problems facing humankind.

But since some countries still have serious differences, we should learn from each other to develop a more in-depth understanding of all aspects of the world. For example, ever since the coronavirus pandemic was first reported in Wuhan, Hubei province, China has been sharing the latest information with the World Health Organization, and other countries and regions, including the complete genome sequencing of the novel coronavirus and progress made on developing a cure or a vaccine.

Also, the fact that Chinese scientists have published papers on the virus in international journals shows China has adopted an open and transparent approach to containing the pandemic.

However, some Western media outlets and politicians, due to their prejudice against China, have claimed that China’s humanitarian assistance is part of its “mask diplomacy” — a mix of soft power policy, political messaging and aid shipments.

Needless to say, such remarks, rather than being constructive, hinder international cooperation in the fight against the pandemic. To be sure, the Slavic people believe it’s immoral to look for flaws in a gift.

Humankind should always remain united. In particular, in these trying times, the idea of “all-weather brotherhood” advocated by the presidents of Belarus and China seems more important than ever before.

When the epidemic broke out in Wuhan, the Belarusian leadership and health experts, as well as the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus offered a helping hand to China. Now, China is helping Belarus to contain the outbreak. We believe all countries should do the same and join hands to build a global community with a shared future.

Especially, Western countries’ leaders should verify whether the information, materials and data they use to judge China are credible, because by making decisions based on inferences and fake news, they will not only undermine international cooperation but also deal a blow to the global fight against the epidemic.

The pandemic has already battered some industries and enterprises, especially in the service sector including aviation and transportation industries, hotels and restaurants; and many economists have predicted the global economy will see negative growth this year.

Given these sobering facts, the international community should work together to mitigate the negative impacts of and reduce the losses caused by the pandemic. But not all countries are ready to promote such constructive coordination. Therefore, China and likeminded countries should not be blamed for the spread of the virus across the globe.

History shows that in the face of a common threat, the survival of countries and people is closely related to solidarity. Only through global cooperation, information exchange and mutual support, instead of self-seclusion, can the international community win the fight against pandemics, crimes, terrorism and other challenges.

So all countries should start a global dialogue by inviting experts from fields as diverse as medicine, social sciences, economics and security while continuing to make efforts to improve medical treatment, testing methods, and prevention and control measures, in order to bring the economy back on the growth track.

The author is chairman of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus.

The views don’t necessarily represent those of China Daily.

Given these sobering facts, the international community should work together to mitigate the negative impacts of and reduce the losses caused by the pandemic. But not all countries are ready to promote such constructive coordination.