CIDCA chairman attends handover ceremony of COVID-19 vaccine donated by China to Cambodia

A handover ceremony of a new shipment of COVID-19 vaccines donated by China to Cambodia was held on Nov 17, the capital of Cambodia, after the vaccines arrived in Phnom Penh. 

Luo Zhaohui, chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) , attended the ceremony from Beijing via video link. Director-General of the CIDCA's First Department of Regional Affairs Bai Bin and Director-General of the Department of International Cooperation Xu Wei also attended virtually from Beijing.

Luo said it was a pleasure to attend the handover ceremony of the new shipment of China-donated vaccines to Cambodia together with Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen and Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wentian.

The shipment of vaccines contained 2 million doses, which means China has provided nearly 37 million doses of vaccines to Cambodia so far, Luo said, adding that at present, the vaccination rate in Cambodia is as high as 88 percent, with almost all the vaccines coming from China. 

Since last year, China has also sent several medical expert teams to Cambodia, organized several video exchange sessions, and provided a large amount of anti-pandemic supplies to strongly support Cambodia's fight against the pandemic, Luo said. 

China and Cambodia have a long-lasting traditional friendship, and a China-Cambodia community with a shared future has been established in recent years. The two sides have continued to consolidate political mutual trust, deepen pragmatic cooperation and expand cultural and people-to-people exchanges, he said.

In February last year, after the outbreak of COVID-19 in China, Prime Minister Hun Sen visited China against the odds, reflecting his great support for China's fight against the epidemic. Two days ago, Premier Li Keqiang held a video meeting with Prime Minister Hun Sen. State Councilor Wang Yi also visited Cambodia against the odds early this September, Luo said, adding that the two sides have been promoting deep synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and Cambodia's "Four Corners Strategy". 

Over the years, China has assisted in the construction of a large number of roads, wells, hospitals and other projects in Cambodia for the benefit of the Cambodian people.

Luo said the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th Communist Party of China Central Committee has just been held, emphasizing that building a community with a shared future for mankind has become a leading trend of the times. China's anti-pandemic assistance actions are a vivid practice of its implementation of the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind and a concrete embodiment of the commitment of China as a responsible major country, Luo said.

He said the CIDCA has worked closely with relevant departments to conduct the longest and largest emergency humanitarian operation on a special basis since the founding of the People's Republic of China. 

China has launched the emergency anti-pandemic support plan for neighboring countries, initiated the peripheral countries anti-pandemic protection belt operation, established the China-South Asia National Emergency Supplies Reserve, and participated in the ASEAN Plus Three reserve center for emergency supplies. Overcoming difficulties such as shortages of supplies and poor transportation, China has provided oxygen cylinders, oxygen machines, ventilators and other medical supplies, as well as vaccines, to many neighboring countries in need, sent medical experts and held exchange meetings via video link to help its neighbors fight the virus.

Luo said China has so far provided more than 1.7 billion doses of vaccines to 110 countries and international organizations, the highest amount in the world, and will provide more than 2 billion doses of vaccines within the year. China has also launched joint vaccine production with 19 developing countries and launched the Initiative for Belt and Road Partnership on COVID-19 Vaccines Cooperation with more than 30 countries. Since last year, it has provided 4 billion pieces of protective clothing, 6 billion testing reagents, and 350 billion masks to the international community.

He said China will continue to take the lead in global cooperation against the pandemic and economic recovery, and promote the Global Development Initiative by working with countries around the world to overcome the pandemic as soon as possible and achieve recovery and common prosperity.