On 1 April, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi took a phone call from Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani of Qatar.

Wang said that under the personal direction from President Xi Jinping, China has put up a hard struggle and made huge sacrifices to contain the COVID-19 outbreak. China’s response to the outbreak has not only protected the health and safety of the Chinese people but also bought time and provided invaluable experience for the rest of the world. Since the start of the outbreak, China has acted in the spirit of openness and transparency to provide the global community with updates on the outbreak, including the sequencing of the virus, and stayed actively engaged in international cooperation, thus contributing to global public health. China will never accept any attempt to shift the blame for one’s own inadequate epidemic response on China. In this regard, China appreciates the objective and impartial position of Qatar.

Wang noted that epidemics respect no borders and viruses are the common enemy of mankind. He expressed sympathies to the people of Qatar over the threat posed by a virus that has now broken out in various parts of the world. He commended Qatar for putting people’s health and safety first and taking stringent control measures, and shared his confidence in Qatar’s ability to prevail over the disease.

Wang expressed appreciation for the timely support from the Amir and donations from different communities in Qatar that China received at the height of its fight against the disease. The pressing priority for China at the moment is to guard against a resurgence at home and prevent imported cases. Keeping in mind the tradition of mutual assistance and support between the two countries, China will do what it can to send supplies to and share experience with Qatar. China will stand firmly with Qatar until the ultimate victory against the outbreak.

Mohammed noted that under the able leadership of President Xi, China has tided over the most trying period in the outbreak. He congratulated China on its widely recognized achievements and on setting a standard for the rest of the world. Qatar cherishes its friendship with China and is among the first group of countries to send medical supplies to China. He thanked China for providing supplies to Qatar and for facilitating Qatar’s procurement needs. Qatar will draw on China’s experience and further strengthen communication and exchanges with China in a joint fight against the outbreak.