On 10
February 2020, Ambassador Ma Jianchun met with H.E. President Adama Barrow at
the State House in Banjul.
Ambassdor Ma
briefed President Barrow on the latest development of the novel coronavirus
pneumonia (2019-nCoV) outbreak in China and China’s tremendous efforts in
containing it. Thanks to those comprehensive and rigorous prevention and control
measures, significant results has shown recently and spread of the outbreak has
been curbed effectively. The daily new added confirmed cases has been going
down. Hundreds of patients, after timely and proper treatment, recovered and
stepped out of hospital everyday. Ambassador Ma further commended the
understanding and support rendered by the Gambian side since the very beginning
of the outbreak. He emphasized that the safety and health of the Gambian
nationals in China are of equal importance as the Chinese people, which has
been well taken care of. He believed that China is not far from winning the
battle against the outbreak.
President
Barrow conveyed his sympathy and solidarity with his counterpart H.E. Xi
Jinping and the Chinese people, and appreciated China for taking decisive and
scientific measures in containing the pneumonia outbreak and the significant
progress being registered so far. He said that battling against the outbreak is
and shall never be the sole business of China itself, which calls for concerted
efforts of the whole international society. President Barrow expressed his
strong confidence in China’s ability of winning the battle against the
outbreak, and emphasized that the Gambian people are always in solidarity with
the friendly Chinese people.
President
Barrow and Ambassador Ma also touched upon the bilateral practical cooperation
in many fields and exchanged views on further strengthening the existing
friendly relations between the two countries. During which, Ambassador Ma mentioned
that the Chinese government has decided to offer about 5000 metric tons of
humanitarian emergency rice aid in mitigating the effects of extreme weather
last year. A new batch of medicines, medical equipment and patrolling vehicles
will soon be handed over to the Gambian side aiming at helping strengthen the
existing public health and medical system, which means much more at such a
critical moment of preventing the pneumonia outbreak.
