ISLAMABAD, Apr. 1 (INP): Prime Minister Imran Khan said that the medical equipment provided by China will greatly strengthen Pakistan's capacity to handle COVID-19 pandemic.

Talking to Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing, he expressed sincere gratitude to China for supporting Pakistan in helping contain COVID-19, reports Gwadar Pro App on Wednesday.

Pakistan has recently received tones of protective gear and testing kits from China to contain the spread of coronavirus. The continuing and unprecedented assistance from China via air and road comes at a critical time when Pakistan’s medical workers struggle to treat patients as the number of confirmed cases have surpassed 1700.

According to ambassador Yao Jing, Chinese government and leadership is committed to support Pakistan in combating COVID-19 as their top priority.

At least 2 tones of masks, testing kits, ventilators, medical protective clothes worth Rs. 67 million have already been handed over to Pakistani officials at Khunjerab Pass.

A plane carrying 50,000 coronavirus testing kits also arrived, and it was the second bulk consignment sent by China’s Alibaba and Jack Ma Foundation within days.

The foundation also sent 500,000 surgical masks and 50,000 N95 respirators to Pakistan. Following Governor Punjab Chaudhry Sarwar’s request, a Chinese university agreed to work with Pakistani medical experts to convert a university campus into a 1,000-bed field hospital.

The field hospital would be set up in Lahore. The university would also work in collaboration with Pakistani scientists to develop testing kits and other equipments in Pakistan.

Earlier, Managing Director of Challenge Group of Companies Yan Chen from China called on Prime Minister Imran Khan to donate 15,000 protection suits to Pakistani doctors and paramedical staff on the frontline battling the pandemic. To meet the increasing demand for protective gear, China will also help produce the protection suit in Pakistan’s city of Lahore.

China turns from fighting the virus domestically to helping the world. As new cases of COVID-19 in China appear to slow, Beijing offers support to other countries in their respective fights against coronavirus.

According to the report, With the Chinese aid comes broad public statement of goodwill. In a statement given by the Chinese President Xi Jinping, he noted that "public health crises pose a common challenge for humanity, and solidarity and co-operation are the most powerful weapon to tackle them”.

“It is China's traditional virtue to repay goodwill with greater kindness," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said, citing an ancient Confucian saying, "You throw a peach to me, and I give you a white jade for friendship," the report added.

INP/JAVED