BEIJING, Apr. 20 (INP): China’s support to Pakistan, extended on government and private-level to fight COVID-19, was a testimony of the two countries’ true friendship, that rooted in the hearts of their people.

It was noted that in the recent days, there has been generous support from the Chinese side to Pakistani brothers and sisters. Although the Chinese government and people are themselves fighting against COVID-19, they are still trying their best to help Pakistan, said Chinese scholar Cheng Xizhong in a report published by China Economic Net.

Commenting on Pakistan’s deteriorating economic condition in wake of the country-wide spread of deadly virus, Cheng Xizhong noted that Pakistani Rupee has continued to depreciate against the USD. Pakistan’s total external debt rose to $107 billion, reaching a record high.

Pakistan’s auto sale was down by 47% during the first nine months of the current fiscal year. Since March 15 the number of containers arriving at ports for export has fallen by 50% compared with the same period last year.

According to Pakistan Textile Exporters Association, textile export orders worth nearly $1.3 billion have been cancelled or delayed. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has projected that due to the coronavirus pandemic, Pakistan's economy may contract sharply by 1.5% during the current financial year, with an unemployment rate of 4.5%.

The World Bank's report believes that Pakistan’s national output may fall in the range of 2.2% to 1.3% in the current fiscal year. Pakistan's economy has been struggling for years. Now it is suffering from a double whammy of locust plague and COVID-19. Currently, novel coronavirus pneumonia is spreading very rapidly.

Prof. Cheng added, that in the fight against the pandemic, Pakistan has received the most assistance from China. Pakistan's National Disaster Management Commission said that up to now, China's anti-pandemic assistance accounts for 80% of the total Pakistan has received from the world. It is remarkable that in addition to the efforts of the Chinese government, medical aid from Chinese enterprises, NGOs, social organizations and common people are flowing into Pakistan constantly, which fully shows that China-Pakistan friendship is deeply rooted in the two peoples. Recently, China’s Beijing Lianxin Charity Foundation donated a batch of medical materials to the Embassy of Pakistan, Beijing, including 20,000 disposable gloves and 3000 protective face shields worth more than $3 million. The China Red Cross provided anti-epidemic materials worth ¥4.56 million to Pakistan. The materials were donated by a number of Chinese enterprises and local Red Cross societies including Henan Tuoren Medical Device Group, Shanghai BioGerm Medical Biotechnology and Inner Mongolia Red Cross.

On the same day, Shandong Province People’s Association of Friendship with Foreign Countries also donated a batch of medical masks to Pakistan. Haier Group Pakistan donated 50,000 masks to the Pakistani government. The company is now procuring the second batch of aid materials. While, China’s Zhong Mei Engineering Group donated a batch of medical materials, including 14,240 masks, 300 pairs of medical gloves, as well as protective clothing, thermometer to local government. On the same day, GuizhouUniversity mailed respirators, masks, gloves, thermometers, medicines and other pandemic prevention materials to Peshawar University. A Pakistani police spokesman said that Islamabad police had received 20,000 masks donated by the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan. MCC donated a batch of materials to Balochistan, with a value of more than 1.7 million yuan, including 200,000 masks, 4000 novel coronavirus pneumonia nucleic acid test kits, 2,000 sets of medical protective clothing, 2,000 pairs of medical gloves, 2000 goggles and 100 thermometers, etc. In addition, the Chinese enterprises undertaking the construction of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor projects are also providing help to local government, hospitals, schools and local people as possible as they can. There are many more organizations providing assistance to Pakistan. I am fully confident that with the help of the Chinese government and people, as well as the international community, the Pakistani government, military and people will be able to effectively deal with the pandemic and win the battle against COVID-19.

INP/JAVED