China’s Donation of 2,000 Fast Test Kits Arrived in Manila and More to Come

On 16 March 2020, the first batch of 2,000 fast test kits for COVID-19 virus jointly donated by Chinese Embassy in the Philippines and the China Mammoth Foundation arrived at Manila to help the Philippines’ fight against the COVID-19 epidemic. Meanwhile, China is ready to provide more test kits in the coming days. Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian briefed Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea on the latest developments of China’s donation over a phone conversation.

The high-tech fast test kits, developed by China BGI Group, have a capability to issue results in 3 hours. The kits have not only been widely used in China’s battle against the epidemic and proven to be quite effective, but also been exported to more than 50 countries including Japan, Thailand, Brunei, Egypt, Peru and UAE.

Virus knows no boundary and humanity knows no nationality. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic, China and the Philippines have been supporting and helping each other, demonstrating a profound friendship between close neighbors, friends and brothers. President Xi Jinping and President Duterte have exchange letters, expressing strong solidarity.

In light of the epidemic situation in the Philippines, the Chinese government and people, greatly sympathizing with the Philippine side, are very willing to lend a helping hand. China has been sharing our hard-won anti-epidemic experiences, carrying out close medical experts-level cooperation with the Philippine side.

On March 15, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi had a phone call with Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Lopez Locsin. Wang thanked the Philippine government and people for giving China valuable support when the epidemic situation in China was severe. Noting that the Philippines is China’s friendly neighbor across the sea, Wang said China is ready to do its utmost to help the Philippines, adding that China has decided to provide the Philippines with urgently-needed medical materials such as test kits and protective clothing, and will actively coordinate the dispatch of medical experts. Wang also expressed belief that under the leadership of President Rodrigo Duterte, the Philippines will secure an early victory against the epidemic.