China wants to help mitigate COVID-19

China is willing to provide aid to nine Caricom member states in order to help them fight COVID19. The People’s Republic of China which has diplomatic ties with these nine Caricom members states discussed this on ministerial level via conferencing. All of the nine countries including the Republic of Suriname once again emphasized the OneChina Policy and condemned the stigma against China and Chinese because of COVID-19. “China will spare no efforts in the fight against the epidemic in the Caribbean region and will share knowledge regarding prevention plans,” said Zhao Lijian, spokesman at China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at a press conference on Wednesday. The nine Caricom members states namely Suriname, Jamaica, Barbados, Grenada, Bahamas, Antigua and Barbuda, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana and Dominica can also count on medicines, medical supplies and technical assistance from China. The countries will come up with a joint prevention plan for the region. Suriname has already reserved some provisions including medicines with a total value of SRD 50 million. “It will be expanded with the package from abroad,” said Finance Minister Gilmore Hoefdraad. Besides China other financial institutes are also willing to pitch in by giving a concessional loan to tackle the novel coronavirus and strengthen health institutes against future epidemics. “That will have a positive effect especially on people. We must strengthen the Surinamese people against diseases and potential epidemics,” said Minister Hoefdraad.