[Ambassadors on fighting COVID-19] Azerbaijan: China has made great sacrifices, contributions to global public health security

China.org.cn recently conducted a written interview with Akram Zeynalli, Azerbaijan's ambassador to China, about the COVID-19 pandemic. The ambassador indicated that the Chinese government has implemented a good strategy in response to the outbreak, and the unprecedented measures that have been taken in the country will yield positive results. Akram also noted that China’s citizens have made great sacrifices and considerable contributions to global public health security. He thinks it is essential for other countries to follow China’s example, strengthen communication and coordination, and enhance international cooperation in the realm of prevention and control measures in order to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

Akram Zeynalli, Azerbaijan's ambassador to China

China.org.cn: How do you think the world’s countries should collaborate in the battle against the COVID-19 epidemic as it spreads and becomes a common challenge for the international community?

Akram Zeynalli: First of all, I would like to congratulate the Chinese government and the Chinese people for successful fight in controlling the spread of COVID-19 epidemic. I have to emphasize that as a result of unprecedented measures taken over the past 2 months under the leadership of the Central Committee of the CPC with General Secretary Xi Jinping at the core, the spread of the epidemic was contained across the country.

Today, after a fierce battle against the COVID-19 epidemic in China, we can witness the positive results which demonstrate the correct approach and strategy of Chinese government from the beginning of the outbreak.

Unfortunately, the pandemic is now spreading across the world. I consider that it is essential for all countries to take a good example of China to curb the spread of the COVID-19 and to strengthen communication and coordination, step up international cooperation in prevention and control measures.

The Republic of Azerbaijan as well as Azerbaijani people have been expressing their solidarity with Chinese people during the tough moments of the battle against the COVID-19. The President of Azerbaijan, as well as many high-ranking officials sent letters of sympathy and solidarity to their Chinese counterparts and expressed readiness to provide any assistance in need. The city of Sumgait sent 20 tons of humanitarian assistance to its sister-cities Mianyang and Xi’an in China, as well as many Azerbaijani people joined to the virtual support campaign “Wuhan Jiayou, Zhongguo Jiayou.” Azerbaijani air cargo company “Silk Way” was among the fewest foreign companies which continued the freight transportation including first-aid medical supplies, even at the height of the epidemic in China.

And now, we witness the same approach from Chinese side during the epidemic spread in other countries, including Azerbaijan. By the common support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and National Health Commission of China, a videoconference was organized between the experts of two sides to learn Chinese experience in prevention and treatment of COVID-19 epidemic. It helped our government to take all necessary preventive measures in time which helped us to ensure the safety of Azerbaijani people. Recently, Chinese government sent a batch of COVID-19 test kits to Azerbaijan, and some private Chinese companies announced their readiness to follow this policy to help with some medical supplies. We highly appreciate the in-time help of Chinese government and Chinese people and we will never forget it.

I believe that it is necessary to continue helping countries in need. The international community highly commended China’s efforts to help other countries while continuing its domestic battle against COVID-19 epidemic: intergovernmental assistance to 82 countries, the WHO and the AU, sharing treatment experience with others and sub-national assistance by local governments.

To my opinion, we should continue working together to address the challenges and defend global public health security. In this regard, the experience of China in curbing the spread of the epidemic as well as its know-how in diagnosis and treatment of the COVID-19 are invaluable contribution to the world community.

The virus knows no border. What the virus has done is cruel and will not last forever. But what the people have done is touching and will be remembered forever. We should continue to work together to fight against the epidemic with all-range efforts.

China.org.cn: China has kept the concept of humanity’s shared future in mind, released information about the COVID-19 virus in a timely manner, and shared its experiences related to prevention and control, diagnosis, and treatment since the outbreak emerged. What is your opinion of these kinds of efforts and contributions?

Akram Zeynalli: I have to stress that our Embassy staff stayed in China and continued to work in full respect to the regulations and recommendations issued by the esteemed Chinese authorities during the whole period of the fight against the COVID-19 virus. From the beginning of the outbreak we witnessed in daily basis, the steps taken by the Chinese government. The epidemic control was taken under the direct focus of the highest leadership of the country and all necessary information with regard to the outbreak was made public in hourly basis.

Since the outbreak, China has been sharing information and latest developments with the WHO and the international community in an open, transparent and responsible way. Immediately, the foreign experts of the WHO were invited to China to estimate the situation directly in place. The WHO-China Joint Mission on Corona Virus Disease 2019 visited China in order to gain first-hand knowledge on the field-level implementation and impact of the national and local response strategy.

It is worldwide admitted that China has timely adopted the most comprehensive, rigorous and thorough measures, and brought the outbreak under control within a short period of time. The Chinese people have made great sacrifices and contributions to global public health security as well as the health and safety of mankind. If China would not have taken these comprehensive and rigorous prevention and control measures, most probably, we would have seen more victims across the world. Such measures have given notable results and made tremendous contributions to the global fight against the epidemic.

During the height of the epidemic, China has released 6 reports on prevention and control measures and 7 reports on diagnosis and treatment of the epidemic. China shared the experience with other countries in timely manner by sending medical teams and organizing different videoconference with experts from other countries.

All these information sharing and cooperation measures realized by Chinese government helped the international community, including Azerbaijan, to take a good example of China in fight against the COVID-19 epidemic spread. The reports issued by respective Chinese authorities gave an effective receipt to the world community to control the situation over COVID-19 epidemic.

Today, the countries facing the COVID-19 epidemic are applying the same measures taken by China: avoiding crowded place, maintaining social distancing, practicing self-protection measures and early alert systems, implementing diagnostic and treatment methods of Chinese specialists and etc. I believe that by applying these measures, we will be able to overcome the temporary difficulties related to this disaster.

We are confident that China, under the leadership of the Central Committee of the CPC with General Secretary Xi Jinping at the core, will eradicate the outcomes of COVID-19 epidemic with dedication and courage of its people, and continue to develop and flourish.