by Julia Pierrepont III, Gao Shan
LOS ANGELES, March 13 (Xinhua) -- In a touching display of international goodwill and solidarity, Utah State's legislature and governor Gary Herbert passed a concurrent resolution on Thursday, supporting the Chinese people and their efforts to contain the COVID-19 outbreak.
Introduced by Utah State Senator Jacob L. Anderegg and Representative Eric K. Hutchings, Resolution SCR008 acknowledges the serious public health risks of COVID-19 and conveyed sympathy for those affected by it.
The resolution notes that the state of Utah has a "friendly relationship and strong economic, cultural, and people-to-people ties" with China.
Noting that Utah has been close friends with China for a long time, Mark Thomas, chief of staff of the Utah Senate, said the bill was "an important way to show them we care about what happens" in China.
"They are not in this alone," Thomas has told Xinhua.
"As global citizens, Utahns should take measures to assist those in need and work proactively to preserve global health and the stability of the global economy, which align with Utah values of industriousness, empathy, volunteerism, and cooperation," according to the resolution.
The resolution particularly stresses that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has advised U.S. citizens not to panic about the coronavirus and warned against any discriminatory sentiment toward the people of Asian descent.
The resolution acknowledges that global health emergencies can cause fear among populations, especially now that the U.S. population itself is at risk, but that people's fear "can be dispelled by rational, clear analysis and by taking health advice only from trusted information sources."
The resolution notes that Utah organizations such as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Intermountain Healthcare, and others have generously donated to China significant amounts of protective gear to assist the anti-virus fight.
In a sympathetic and strong show of support for the Chinese people, the resolution emphasizes Utah's unique, mutually beneficial and longstanding relationship with China, which is also one of their top trading partners.
Utah, with a population of 3.16 million, and Liaoning Province in northeastern China, has had a legislative cooperation and exchange mechanism for 14 years.
Utah officials describe this relationship as a responsible one for creating important opportunities for people, businesses, and educational organizations that have enabled them to conduct cross-border exchanges and do business together in both Utah and China.
Utah also leads the nation in the Chinese language study, hosting one fifth of the Mandarin students in the United States.
Pointing out that the global health and economy are inextricably linked, the resolution urges the international community not to impose unnecessary restrictions that interfere with international travel and trade.
"The Legislature and the Governor urge that their duration be short, proportionate to the actual public health risks, and regularly be reconsidered as the situation evolves," the resolution says.
The Utah State is closely monitoring the situation, engaging with U.S. and Chinese governments and health partners to respond to the health threat in China, and will issue further information and guidance as necessary, it added.
