Coronavirus vaccines from China’s assistance to Pakistan and Cambodia have arrived in the region one after another, including the first batch of coronavirus vaccines from the Chinese army to assist foreign troops. From “hardcore friendship” to “trust like a tree”, what are the highlights of the scene? Please watch the report sent back by Xinhua News Agency reporters from Islamabad and Phnom Penh–
Pakistan Railway: two “first” and “hardcore” friendships
The handover ceremony of the People’s Liberation Army in aid of Pakistan’s army against the coronavirus vaccine was held on February 8 at Nur Khan Air Force Base near Islamabad. The vaccine box is printed with “Brothers are one heart, and their sharpness breaks gold”.
Just a week ago, the Chinese government donated a batch of coronavirus vaccines to the Pakistani government, and Pakistan became the first recipient of the Chinese government’s foreign aid vaccine. Now, the vaccine aided by the Chinese army to the Pakistani army has arrived smoothly, and the Pakistani army has become the first foreign army to receive vaccine assistance from the Chinese army.
As Chen Wenrong, the defense attaché of the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan, said at the ceremony, the two “firsts” once again demonstrated the unbreakable “hardcore” friendship between China and Pakistan. This batch of vaccines will play an important role in the cooperation between China and Pakistan in the fight against the epidemic.
Nigal Jowhar, the chief medical officer of the Pakistani Army and director of the Health Service Bureau of the three services, attended the ceremony, thanked the Chinese army for providing vaccine assistance to the Pakistani army. She said that after the outbreak of the epidemic in Pakistan last year, the anti-epidemic materials assisted by the Chinese army and the medical expert team sent by the Chinese army played a key role in effectively curbing the epidemic in Pakistan. Now, the Chinese army provides the Pakistani army with much-needed vaccines in the first place, which is like a “timely rain” for the Pakistani side, which is deeply grateful to the Pakistani side.
According to a statement issued by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Information Bureau on the same day, this batch of coronavirus vaccines assisted by the Chinese army will be included in the Pakistan National Vaccine Plan for front-line medical staff.
Cambodia: When close friends are in trouble, they must help each other.
The first batch of coronavirus vaccines from China to Cambodia arrived in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, on February 7. This is the first coronavirus vaccine Cambodia has received since the outbreak of COVID-19. The vaccine box is printed with the Cambodian proverb “trust is like a tree” and the Chinese idiom “watch and help each other”.
The first batch of coronavirus vaccine donated by China was then officially delivered to Cambodia, including a batch of vaccines provided by the Chinese army to the Cambodian army. As Wang Wentian, the Chinese ambassador to Cambodia, said at the handover ceremony, this fully reflects the special and profound brotherhood between the two countries and the two armies.
The Cambodian army was one of the first foreign troops to receive assistance from the Chinese army with a coronavirus vaccine.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen went to Phnom Penh International Airport to welcome a Chinese vaccine. In his speech at the vaccine handover ceremony, he also said that Cambodia has a proverb that “best friends must help when they are in trouble”. Vaccine assistance is another proof of the friendship and close cooperation between Cambodia, China and the people of the two countries, and will vigorously promote the development of the comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation between the two countries and the construction of a community of destiny.
According to Cambodia’s plan, vaccination will officially start on February 10, and high-risk groups such as medical workers, soldiers, teachers, journalists, tuk (small tricycle taxis) and taxi drivers will be given priority to vaccination.
According to Wang Wenbin, spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at a regular press conference on February 8, China has provided vaccine assistance to 53 developing countries, including Pakistan, and has exported vaccines to 22 countries.
Reporter: Liu Tian, Li Hao, Jiang Chao, Mao Pengfei, Chen Gang (reporter) Wan Po (reporter) Mei Shixiong
