BEIJING, , Apr. 10 (INP) - Pakistan and China’s friendship examples are given all over the globe and it is the fact that Pakistan is not fighting alone against the novel coronavirus; China is firmly standing with its “all-weather friend”.

This was stated in a  report carried by Gwadar Pro App on Friday. Pakistan and China have proven that they would not abandon each other in these testing times and perhaps that is why President of Pakistan Dr Arif Alvi visited China last month conveying strong support and solidarity of Pakistan towards the government and the people of China in their battle against Covid-19.

When China was hard-hit by the coronavirus, it was Pakistan – from President to Prime Minister Imran Khan to the common people – which provided a large amount of support of solidarity and unity to China.

Delighted by the support, the Chinese Ambassador in Pakistan Yao Jing not only appreciated the gesture but also offered to reciprocate it with even more in ‘Chinese style’.

“A drop of water received will be reciprocated with a well of spring. China stands with Pakistan on fighting COVID-19,” Ambassador Yao Jing said in a video message while assuring Pakistani people that “Chinese people, as always, will stand here, stay here and work with you.

We have a firm belief and firm confidence that the Pakistani government and people will finally win this battle against the coronavirus.”

These were not mere words to impress people and nations across the world as China immediately increased the supplies of medical personnel and equipment to help one of the most populous nations in the world – Pakistan – to fight the spread of the coronavirus.

Even before Yao Jing’s statement, China had helped Pakistan in every possible way ranging from taking care of Pakistani students in Wuhan to providing tones of medical goods.

China has always played a vital role in Pakistan’s growth and development. Apart from sending medical supplies, including tones of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), testing kits, ventilators, masks, sanitizers, the Chinese government assured authorities in Pakistan that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects would start functioning soon.

It gave the much-needed push to the Pakistani government and Prime Minister Imran Khan while presiding a meeting of the National Coordination Committee on coronavirus situation on April 2 decided to start work on CPEC projects, saying employment of the laborers belonged to the construction industry and CPEC projects would help stabilizing economy.

Prime Minister Imran Khan while declaring that the “working class is the top priority of the government” said that the work on the ongoing projects on CPEC in the country would soon be reopened.

“True to the description of an ‘Iron Brother’, China has stood by Pakistan through thick and thin, in times of war & peace.

Recent Chinese support to fight corona is case in point,” the leader of the opposition in Pakistan’s National Assembly and the president of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Shehbaz Sharif, tweeted on April 4 while lauding Chinese help.

“At a time when no other country was ready to invest even a single penny, China came up with a multi-billion dollar CPEC that has helped us end load-shedding & kick-start moribund economy,” the PML-N leader added.

Following the coronavirus crisis, China has portrayed itself as a global leader in the fight against the outbreak. For Pakistan, China has not just sent medical equipment but showed the willingness to open the ambitious multi-billion-dollar project to reduce the economic shortfalls.

With a population of 220 million, Pakistan’s coronavirus cases pass 4,200, including 63 deaths from the illness it causes. Most of the infected people there were travelers returning from neighboring Iran but not a single case came from China.

Prime Minister Imran Khan repeatedly reminded the nation that China not only took care of the Pakistani students in Wuhan but also ensured that the virus was not transmitted in any way to Pakistan. “Pakistan did not witness a single case coming from China,” PM Khan said while lauding China’s efforts to control the spread of the disease.

There are countless examples of Pakistan and China’s friendship but standing with each other during a pandemic is a new chapter added onto the recent political history, the report added.

INP/JAVED