Former S African diplomat voices support for China's COVID-19 battle

Gert Grobler, a former South African diplomat, has recently written articles in support of China's efforts to combat COVID-19, adding that he anticipates more epidemic control assistance from the country for Africa.

China, he said, has played the role of a responsible major country with its firm actions in global pandemic response

"China, as I said, launched an unprecedented, comprehensive, resolute and aggressive response to COVID-19, which was applauded internationally," said Grobler at a video conference on Fighting Against COVID-19 and Africa-China Cooperation, which was hosted by the Africa Institute of South Africa, the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies of Nigeria, and the Institute of African Studies at Zhejiang Normal University on April 17.

He wrote in an article that the Chinese people have suffered significantly over the last few months, but have received widespread praise for the comprehensive, resolute and thorough manner in which they stemmed the spread of the virus in China.

Grobler continued that it is truly sad that at a time when the world desperately needs concerted international or multilateral cooperation, solidarity and compassion to overcome this devastating crisis, some people played a counter-productive blame game spewing distorted and questionable facts and, in the process, regrettably displayed an ugly prejudice and bias that contributes to the shameful stereotyping of China and, in fact, "racial hatred" towards the Chinese people.

With the situation regarding COVID-19 now rapidly normalizing in the country, China is very active in supporting approximately 130 countries around the world with medical equipment and advice in their battle against COVID-19.

COVID-19 has posed an unprecedented threat to the health of all African citizens and to its hard-won developmental and economic gains, Grobler said at the video conference.

The Chinese government and private enterprises are currently busy supporting Africa, where COVID-19 is now increasingly spreading, on a large scale, with comprehensive aid packages and advice, Grobler said.

He concluded in his article that given the significant role that China is playing in the global economy, as well as the ongoing constructive role that China is adopting in the multilateral arena and global affairs, it can be expected, once the worst of COVID-19 has passed, that the international community will increasingly reach out to China to further consolidate and promote bilateral and multilateral cooperation.