Spotlight: China praised for endeavor to fight Ebola in W. Africa

China was commended for its positive role in the global fight against fatal Ebola virus in West African countries.

On the sidelines of a high-level meeting on Ebola held in Brussels Tuesday, several leaders from west African countries have spoken positively of China's contribution to support people in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea and contain the Ebola virus in those countries.

Sierra Leone Foreign Minister Samura Kamara said China was the first country to provide support to his country when Africa was stricken by Ebola.

Kamara thanked China for giving Sierra Leone "a very big support".

China has provided Sierra Leone with medical care, capital, energy, education and water system etc., according to Kamara.

"Last year, Chinese mobile laboratory team was dispatched to Sierra Leone, and now China is building the first permanent laboratory in Sierra Leone," he said.

Sierra Leone and China has developed friendship for more than 40 years, and the friendship will be further strengthened in the future, Kamara said.

Francois Lounceny Fall, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Guinea, also expressed his gratitude to China for its aid.

"China is a good partner of Africa, particularly a good partner of Guinea," he said.

"We have perceived China had already deployed medical staff and facilities in our three countries. We have also perceived the commitment of the government of China to continue to be with the three countries to end Ebola. We appreciate what China is doing," he said.

During the high-level conference, the head of the Mission of China to the European Union Yang Yanyi made a presentation on behalf of the Chinese Government.

She said the Chinese Government has provided four batches of emergency assistance, representing record totals of outlay, a treatment center in Liberia, virus testing labs, mobile monitoring service and medical treatment.

"China remains committed, along with the international community, to combating and containing the virus at its source and to supporting the epidemic-stricken countries and peoples to rebuild from the devastation by deepening multi-dimensional cooperation, including agriculture, infrastructure, and human resources development," she said.

Director General of International Organization for Migration William Lacy Swing praised China for its very positive role in helping to fight Ebola.

"We are very pleased this morning to hear the Chinese representative Ambassador Yang to speak about the assistance that China has given to the countries of Ebola-affected areas, that's very positive," he said.

Swing said he had one concern once the Ebola crisis is over, namely, the international community will forget about this area and moved on to another crisis, then the Ebola-affected countries are in competition for resources.

"We hope that won't happen and hope the international community stay in their courses. Obviously it will be a part of course for China to stay engaged," he said.

To improve China's way to cooperate with the West African countries, Mark Goldring, Chief Executive of global aid agency OXFAM, suggested that Chinese government should plan jointly with governments of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea to help them in planing health, education, agriculture, economic development etc..

"I think it's the most valuable contribution China can make, that means money will be used very wisely," he said.

More than 9,000 people have died of Ebola since its outbreak in Africa in 2014, latest figures from the World Health Organization show. Enditem