(at the Friendship Hall on May 19th, 2022)

Your Excellency Ali Al-Sadiq Ali, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sudan, 
Your Excellency Dr. Haitham Muhammad Ibrahim Awad Allah,  Federal Minister of Health of Sudan, 
Distinguished guests,
Friends from the media,

Greetings to you all! It gives me great pleasure to join you today at the handover ceremony of medical supplies against COVID-19 donated by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Sudanese Transitional Sovereignty Council and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Friendship Hall is a symbol of long-standing friendly ties between our two countries. It is therefore of special significance that we hold the ceremony here. This once again attests to the sincere and true friendship between the two peoples. It also represents a new chapter of our joint response to COVID-19. On behalf of the Chinese Embassy in Sudan, I would like to express hearty thanks to the Sudanese side for their efforts to hold this event.

As an old Chinese saying goes, “Real gold stands the test of fire.” Despite the grave challenge posed by the pandemic unseen in a century, our traditional friendship has grown even stronger in trying times. At the height of China’s fight against COVID-19, President of Sudan’s Sovereignty Council Al-Burhan conveyed support in his message to Chinese President Xi Jinping. People from governmental and social organizations, including the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Association of Arab-Chinese Friendship Societies, also wrote to the Chinese side to voice their support. We will bear in mind that the Sudanese Acrobatic Troupe, hailed as the Flower of Sudan-China Friendship, staged a special cheer-up performance to support China’s Wuhan city. To reciprocate the kindness of Sudanese people, China sent a 20-member medical expert team at the earliest time possible to Sudan when the virus spread to the country, making itself the first country to dispatch an expert team to assist Sudan with epidemic prevention and control. China was also the first to offer COVID-19 vaccine assistance to Sudan via bilateral channels. The 250,000 doses of vaccines plus 23 batches of medical supplies donated by China provided strong material support for Sudan’s efforts to contain the virus. Our joint efforts to look out for each other in adversity and fight the virus together enabled us to emerge from the darkest hour of the pandemic and also made our traditional friendship renewed.

Our medical cooperation has made firmer strides amid the pandemic. Medical cooperation has always spearheaded bilateral friendship and cooperation. In 1971, the first Chinese medical assistance team was sent to Sudan. In the ensuing five decades and more, all team members are dedicated to rendering good medical services, and are warmly received by people from various sectors in Sudan for their superb medical skills and noble medical ethics. Members of the 35th and 36th medical assistance team, in particular, have held fast to their position at the forefront of Sudan’s fight against COVID-19, displaying their courage, responsibility and values as Chinese doctors. Not long ago, the Protocol of the Chinese Medical Assistance Team to Sudan was renewed, and the first batch of medical equipment donated by the Chinese government under the cooperation mechanism for pairing up Chinese and Sudanese hospitals was handed over to Sudan’s Federal Ministry of Health. This marks the beginning of a second five-decade journey of our medical cooperation. I am sure that it will add further impetus to our strategic partnership.

Our joint response to COVID-19 has forged ahead with greater momentum. As Chinese President Xi Jinping once remarked, in the face of COVID-19 pandemic, solidarity and cooperation is the most powerful weapon for the international community. He also pledged that China would continue to do whatever it can to support Africa’s response to COVID-19. Our donation of 4.55 million yuan worth of anti-epidemic supplies to Sudan is the latest move to implement the concepts and propositions announced by President Xi Jinping for this purpose. Acting on the principle of putting people and their lives first, China will work vigorously to deliver as early as possible the latest round of vaccine aid to Sudan, so as to help it defeat the virus at an early date. China is ready to work with Sudan on the Nine Programs for China-Africa cooperation including the medical and health program. Doing so will create broader prospects for bilateral relations, bring greater benefits to the two peoples, and make China-Sudan strategic partnership more relevant in the new era.

Distinguished guests,

Dear Friends,

It is valuable to have friends as close as family members. China and Sudan getting through the crisis in unity sets another good example of the defining feature of bilateral friendship. Going forward, China will continue to provide assistance as much as possible for our Sudanese colleagues and friends. It’s sure that with sincere cooperation, we will emerge from the shadow of the pandemic. Let’s pull together to make the vessel of China-Sudan community of health sail to a brighter future.

I thank you all.