A handover ceremony was held in Sao Tome to transfer medical supplies from the Chinese government to the government of Sao Tome and Principe for the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic on April 17.
Chinese Ambassador Wang Wei and the Health Minister of Sao Tome and Principe Edgar Neves made statements and signed the handover certificate on behalf of their respective governments.
Wang said that it is the second time in recent days that China has donated medical supplies to Sao Tome and Principe, and it is another example of friendship and solidarity between the two governments and peoples.
The materials donated by China are of high quality, which will help Sao Tome and Principe better cope with the COVID-19 outbreak. China will always bear in mind the support of African countries, including Sao Tome and Principe, when China was fighting against the epidemic, and will stand firmly with African countries and join hands with the African people by providing anti-pandemic materials and sending expert teams to the countries concerned. In the fight against the pandemic, lies and stigmatization are useless; only solidarity and cooperation can lead to victory.
Neves said that the supplies provided by China were vital to the fight against the pandemic in Sao Tome and Principe, and once again demonstrated the long-standing friendship between the two peoples. In its course of combating the pandemic, China has helped and protected Sao Tome and Principe's international students in China, and is now providing assistance to African countries, including Sao Tome and Principe, for which the government is deeply grateful. He also spoke highly of China's selfless assistance to Sao Tome and Principe in areas such as the fight against malaria.
The above-mentioned anti-pandemic supplies, which included N95 masks, general medical masks, medical protective clothing, gloves, shoe covers, goggles and infrared electronic thermometers, arrived in Sao Tome and Principe on April 15.
The handover ceremony was covered by local mainstream media such as Sao Tome and Principe's national television.