Interview: Egyptian expert says COVID-19 cooperation with China embodies community with shared future for mankind

Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-25 17:30:15|Editor: xuxin
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by Mahmoud Fouly

CAIRO, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Egypt and China's cooperation in fighting COVID-19 highlights their comprehensive strategic partnership, and embodies the China-proposed notion of a community with a shared future for mankind, an Egyptian expert said Tuesday.

"There are key political ties between Egypt and China and they have an agreement of a comprehensive strategic partnership and they both have a true desire to implement it under the leadership of both countries," Mohamed Fayez Farahat, head of the Asian Studies Program at Cairo-based Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, said.

Noting that Egypt and China have enhanced cooperation in various fields including infrastructure, energy and transportation, especially within the framework of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, he said that the COVID-19 epidemic has opened up a new field of bilateral cooperation.

Egypt has expressed solidarity with China in combating the epidemic by donating tons of medical supplies to the Asian country and lighting up its famous monuments in red with yellow stars, representing the national flag of China.

China has also showed readiness to assist Egypt in combating the virus by offering vital information and ideas on anti-virus measures, he added.

During a telephone conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday night, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi said that China's fight against COVID-19 has achieved positive progress, and that Egypt is confident that through the joint fight against the disease, the friendship between the two countries will be further cemented.

Noting that the North African country is also facing the urgent task of battling the epidemic, Xi said China is willing to share epidemic-related information, experience on prevention and treatment, and outcomes of medical research with Egypt and provide it with medical supplies to support its prevention and control efforts and jointly beat the disease.

"President Sisi's phone call with his Chinese counterpart shows that friends always help each other in difficult times," the political expert said.

The world is currently facing a common crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, which has become "a big challenge confronting humanity, in which China has offered very important experience," said Farahat.

"China has extended a helping hand to the world, expressing its willingness to share its experience in combating COVID-19 with the international community by providing advice, information and medical aid," the expert said.

It is an interpretation of the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind, Farahat added.

Egypt has been learning from China's experience and success in containing the spread of the virus in a short period of time, said Farahat.

As of Tuesday, the number of COVID-19 cases confirmed in Egypt has reached 402, with 20 deaths.

In addition to such strict preventive measures as the temporary closure of schools, places of worship, and archeological sites, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly on Tuesday announced a nationwide partial curfew for 15 days and a complete shutdown of cafes, nightclubs, and gyms.

Describing China as "a key element in the global system," Farahat said that the Asian country's success in fighting COVID-19 has set up a model for the world.

The expert called for international cooperation to curb the spread of the virus and develop vaccines to put an end to the pandemic.

"The world is now facing a common threat against humanity, which shows the necessity for global cooperation to tackle COVID-19," he said.

"It gives credibility to the notion of a community with a shared future for mankind and shows that mankind can join hands to deal with a universal challenge and threat," the expert added.

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