By: Mr. Shu Zhan, former Chinese Ambassador to Rwanda and Eritrea
China sent the first medical team to Algeria in 1963 when the country got independence. Over the past 59 years, about one thousand batches of Chinese medical personnel have treated 230 million patients in Africa. At present, there are nearly 1000 medical personnel in 45 countries in Africa, offering free services in 98 medical institutions.
In 2017, I was lucky to visit Freetown, and at the China Sierra Leone Friendship Hospital on the outskirts,we could still see the traces left by the Chinese medical team helping Sierra Leone in fighting the Ebola epidemic in 2014.
This first collaboration led to the creation of the Sierra Leone China Friendship Biological Safety Laboratory or “Jui Lab”, which was built in just 87 days and became active in the detection of Ebola on March 11, 2015. When the epidemic ended later that year, Sierra Leone’s MoHS and China CDC launched a long-term technical cooperation project which is still ongoing. It entered its third phase in January 2021, with new contributions to the current fight against covid-19.
These are only a few examples of Africans and Chinese help each other in countless ways. The two peoples are close to each other and have a deep affinity formed through many years of friendship.
I saw the charming singer Ms. MariatuKargbo’sperformance on the Sierra Leonean Pavilion Day of Shanghai World Expo in May 2010. She sang both native songs and Beijing opera. And I was told that She has been living in China for over 16 years.
In 2020 when China went into COVID-19 lockdown, MariatuKargbo was one of the first foreigners to sign up for volunteer work in her local community in Beijing, just like Community Volunteerism in Sierra Leone. In recognition of her selfless work monitoring temperatures and ensuring the safety of the neighbourhood, she was invited to join other outstanding volunteers at a ceremony in the Great Hall of the People, the meeting place of the Chinese Parliament, where she was presented with a special award.
She also took on the task of delivering health drinks to people living in the vicinity. To the amazement of the locals, she used the traditional African method of carrying the heavy pot on her head to ensure the refreshments were distributed quickly and efficiently.
Mariatu’s status as a famous star became big news and the local population were quick to ask for photographs with her dressed in her protective clothing and to circulate their pride at having such a high-profile volunteer via social media. In particular, many older residents who were wary of leaving their homes to take COVID tests were encouraged to do just that when they saw Mariatu on the frontline.
“I am humbled by the response of my neighbours and the local authorities, and their support truly makes me feel like a member of the family. ” she once said, “Although the work is tiring, when I see so many people willing to give up their time to support the community, it gives me the extra strength to keep going. I will continue to do this work as a way of giving back to the community and promoting relations between Africa and China”.
Mr. Wu Peng, the Africa Department Director-General of MFA anda former Ambassador of China to Sierra Leon, showered praises on MariatuKargbo by quoting an African proverb, ‘Sharing the way forward is a true friend’ and said that China-Africans’ perception of each other has gone from being African brothers in news broadcasts to classmates, mutually beneficial business partners and friends travelling together.
The friendship between countries lies in the affinity between the peoples. Exchanges between Africans and Chinese in culture, media, youth and women, think tanks, have been still growing all round.
Wemay have found the common value of all mankind with a passion forthe life and building community with a shared future for mankind is a new perspective to seek new connotations of the common interests and common values.
