New Delhi: China on Tuesday expressed hoped that India would review measures it has taken to prevent the spread of coronavirus in an “objective, rational and calm manner,” so as to normalise exchanges of personnel and trade between the two countries and lift restrictions on export of medical supplies in “humanitarian spirit”.
In the last few weeks, India has taken a number of steps after the extent of the coronavirus epidemic became apparent. These included the cancellation of existing visas issued to Chinese passport holders before February 5, as well as to foreign nationals travelling from China.
“We hope the Indian side can review the epidemic situation in an objective, rational and calm manner, implement the two leaders’ instructions, handle China’s much-needed items in a humanitarian spirit, and resume normal personnel exchanges and trade between our two countries,” Chinese ambassador Sun Weidong told reporters on Tuesday.
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Referring to the letter written by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Chinese President Xi Jinping, he noted that India had assured “readiness to stand by China and provide the assistance that India can to face this challenge”.
China and India have wisdom to offer inspiration to address challenges facing the world today. Improving public health security is our common goal. We can strengthen cooperation and exchanges of experience in this regard.
— Sun Weidong (@China_Amb_India) February 18, 2020
He also claimed that external affairs minister Jaishankar had told Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi in their phone conversation on January 31 that “it is important to evaluate the outbreak in an objective and rational manner and not take actions that may complicate the situation”.
Incidentally, this was only highlighted in the Chinese foreign ministry’s readout of the phone call. There was no such remark as per the tweet posted by Jaishankar on his official Twitter account.
The Chinese envoy asserted that countries should “follow the World Health Organization’s professional advice”, which he noted, did not ask for the imposition of any travel and trade restrictions.
“Countries around the world need to maintain normal flows of people and trade, and refrain from overreaction. We understand that some countries take reasonable and necessary measures like thermal screening at ports of entry. In fact, most of countries have not overreacted to the outbreak, [but] some countries began to adjust strict measures exceeding the WHO’s recommendation.”
He was optimistic that the road map drawn up to mark the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties between India and China will not be impacted. “I think the difficulties are temporary and will be overcome. I believe bilateral exchanges will not be blocked by the virus and China-India relations not be affected by the epidemic”.
The Chinese ambassador was speaking from a dais which was festooned with a banner declaring, ‘Epidemic War: United Together Fight Together’.
Interestingly, entry to the Chinese embassy required a check of body temperature by the security guard – probably the only place in the Indian capital to do such checks outside the airport and quarantine camps.
Sun also specifically called for India to lift restrictions on personal protection material, noting that there was shortage of masks and other necessary items. “At the epicentres of Hubei Province and Wuhan City, there is large consumption of medical materials, causing shortage of some specific personal protection materials,” he said.
A man wearing a face mask walks past a statue with a face mask on near the Qianmen pedestrian street, following an outbreak of the novel coronavirus in the country, in Beijing, China February 18, 2020. Photo: Reuters/Tingshu Wang
India had earlier put a ban on export of all personal protective equipment, anticipating a rise in domestic demand due to coronavirus. On February 8, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade lifted restrictions on gloves and surgical masks, but kept the ban on the N95 respirator masks.
On Monday, the Indian embassy had announced that it will send a plane load of medical supplies to Wuhan this week. This plane would also be used to bring back the remaining 80-odd Indians left in Hubei province, who did not avail themselves of the first two evacuation flights this month.
“I made a special inquiry and learned from Hubei Province that as of today, there is no case of infection among the remaining Indian citizens in Hubei,” he said.
Sun added that the remaining Indians have been taken good care of, with universities supplying them with masks and food on a regular basis.
He also urged Indian students, who wanted to continue their studies in China, to contact their respective universities to confirm the date of registration as most have delayed the 2020 spring semester.
China’s top diplomat to India stated that both countries were “actively collaborating” on epidemic prevention and control in largely three areas. “First, we keep India informed and updated of the epidemic. The Chinese Embassy has established a contact mechanism with the Ministry of Health of India. The Chinese Foreign Ministry and relevant local governments have also held briefings in China”.
The other two aspects are related to the assistance provided for the evacuation of Indian citizens and the welfare of the remaining Indian nationals in Hubei province.
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On the economic consequences of the epidemic, Sun stated, “In the short term, the downward pressure on China’s economy will increase, but the impact is still local, temporary and limited”.
“China’s economy is stable and strong like a mountain. The fierce wind could blow down the trees but not the mountain,” he added.
He noted that China’s quick recovery from the epidemic will also aid India’s own economy, since both countries are now closely enmeshed economically.
“More than one million people travel between the two countries every year and the bilateral trade volume is over $ 90 billion. In addition, China is now in a significant position in the global supply chain. Therefore, China’s early victory over the epidemic will be beneficial to the development of both China and India as well as the global economy. It will help bilateral economic and trade cooperation get back on track. In this context, helping China is actually helping yourself,” urged Sun.
I have received a lot of messages from all sectors in India expressing sympathy and solidarity. At this difficult moment, I am deeply touched by the kindness of Indian friends and I can feel the sincere friendship between the two peoples.
— Sun Weidong (@China_Amb_India) February 18, 2020
The Chinese envoy had a word of appreciation for messages of support from Indian people and felt that it reminded him of Dwarakanath Kotnis’s medical mission to China in 1938.
He also specifically referred to the visit of then Indian defence minister George Fernandes to China in April 2003 during the SARS outbreak. Sun had then been the division director in the Asian Department of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
“In an interview with PTI, he [Fernandes] had criticised the foreign media for exaggerating the epidemic and creating panic among the public. When a journalist asked him if he was afraid of being infected, he responded, ‘Even Chinese people are not afraid, why should I be afraid?’ After returning to India, he took concrete action to support China’s attempt to combat the epidemic by instructing the Indian Army to donate medicine to China. This sort of act of kindness will never be forgotten by the Chinese people”.
In his initial remarks, the Chinese ambassador had said that the epidemic was “generally under control, and the dawn has begun to appear”. He claimed that the Chinese government has taken the most comprehensive, rigorous and thorough prevention and control measures.
His detailed remarks were also interspersed with praise for Chinese leadership and individual stories of heroics by medical and community workers.
So far, nine Indians have been diagnosed as positive for coronavirus. They include three in Kerala who had travelled from China and have now recovered. The rest were part of the crew of the cruise ship Diamond Princess, which has been quarantined in Japan.