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Ambassador Du Wei Gives A Written Interview to Yated Ne'eman
2020-05-06 21:04

On May 5, Yated Ne'eman published Ambassador Du Wei's written interview. During which, Ambassador Du answered questions on China's COVID-19 response, China-US relations as well as the historical friendship between the Chinese and Jewish peoples. The main content is as follows:

On China's COVID-19 response, Ambassador Du said, there are different voices regarding China's fight. In the beginning, some voices were condescending and schadenfreude. Later, when the disease broke out around the world, the voices became "China should apologize". It is scapegoating. In history, it has happened many times when the causes of diseases were wrongfully blamed on a specific group of people, which is despicable and should be condemned. The disease is the enemy of all mankind, and the world must fight it together.

Chinese President Xi Jinping said, the response to the epidemic is a major test on the governance system and capability. Our answers to the test are clear. With unprecedented efforts, we stopped the contagion within China and won time for the world. We overcome difficulties to resume production and actively support other countries. These answers will be judged by history and science, not by some ill-intentioned politicians.

China is a trending topic in Israel and many other countries. We can see a lot of good suggestions, but also misunderstandings and unfounded criticisms. It is probably because of the distance, the culture difference as well as the deliberate misinformation by someone else. I look forward to befriending with Israeli media and people from all walks of life, and to cement more popular support for China-Israel relations.

On the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on China-US relations, Ambassador Du said, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought complicated factors in China-America relations. This is not something we want to see. Whatever differences or disagreements between China and the US, they look pale when we consider the well-being of the Chinese, American and the whole world. As the two largest economies and permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, cooperation between China and the US will exert the enormously positive influence in the international community. Like in the 2008 global financial crisis, China and the US maintained communication and coordination, which injected confidence in the global economy and paved the way for recovery. The COVID-19 is yet another global challenge, and cooperation and solidarity is the only way out.

On the researches of COVID-19 vaccines and medicines in China, Ambassador Du said, according to our knowledge, China adopted 5 technological approaches to develop COVID-19 vaccines, and are advancing them in parallel. Currently, 3 COVID-19 vaccine candidates have been approved for clinical trials. The process is under strict safety standards. As to when we might have vaccines to use, it depends on the results of trials.

In terms of the COVID-19 medicines, China has launched over 30 projects. Thousands of researchers and over 150 institutions are involved. These projects have yielded some positive results and we have incorporated them into the treatment and published them in the guidelines which are available online. Moreover, China has rich experience in integrating Chinese and Western medicines for treating COVID-19 patients, and the results on the patients are good.

China welcomes Israel and other interested countries to join the researches of vaccines and medicines.

On the historical friendship between the Chinese and Jewish peoples, Ambassador Du said, there is no antisemitism in China. Throughout history, the Chinese and Jewish people treat each other with respect and sympathies.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Chinese cities like Shanghai, Harbin and Tianjin received a large number of Jewish immigrants. Those Jewish people dedicated their wisdom and efforts to the development of the cities. The synagogues, schools, banks, hotels built by them are well preserved even after a century.

Starting from the late 1930s, the Nazi's persecution on Jewish people reached its height in Europe, the Chinese people extended a helping hand and received tens of thousands of Jewish people escaping from the Holocaust. Shanghai city alone sheltered at least 25,000, exceeding the total number of those in Canada, Australia, India, South Africa and New Zealand combined.

The history of the past serves as the unbreakable foundation of our friendship. The Embassy is ready to work to let this friendship be cherished and carried forward by the peoples of both countries.

Ambassador Du also answered other questions on China-Israel cooperation in the fight against the COVID-19, China's investment in Israel, China's Middle East policies and etc.

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