Tunisia supports China’s virus efforts

TUNIS: In a conference in Tunis on Saturday, Tunisian politicians and business people expressed their confidence in China’s fight against coronavirus.

The conference was attended by Chinese Ambassador to Tunisia Wang Wenbin, Tunisian parliament’s deputies, business people and economic experts.

President of the Association Namaa Touness (Development of Tunisia), Omar Belkhiria, said, given that China was the second-largest economy and among the fastest-growing economies in the world, “any crisis affecting China will directly harm the entire global economy”.

“For this reason, we will have to unite to support this country and help it in its fight against the novel coronavirus and eradicate it as soon as possible,” Belkhiria added.

“We are very confident in the ability of the Chinese government to overcome this epidemic crisis,” he said

Tunisians were ready to get involved in the fight against the coronavirus by strengthening bilateral co-operation through the exploration of new common markets in the Arab zone, Africa and Europe, he added.

Said Moez Belhaj Rhouma, chairperson of Tunisia’s Parliamentary Committee on Agri-Food Security, Trade, Tourism, Transport and Handicrafts, also showed support of China.

“At this critical period China is going through, Tunisia has tried to show its support to first, the Chinese people, but above all a visionary approach to a prosperous and betterdeveloped future in the short, medium and long term with China,” Rhouma said.

Wang Wenbin stressed that coronavirus would not curb China’s long-term economic and social development.

Wang said that on February 19, for the first time, the number of new cases confirmed in a single day across China decreased to fewer than 1 000.

“There is a drop in the number of the newly-infected cases and a rapid increase in the number of patients cured,” he said. The positive results could be explained by “the speediness and effectiveness of decisions taken by the Chinese government”. | Xinhua