President's special envoy urges unity, consensus in fight against COVID-19

BEIJING — Wang Yi, a special envoy of President Xi Jinping, on Dec 4 urged all parties to strengthen unity, expand consensus and work together to move forward as global COVID-19 prevention and control efforts have entered a crucial stage.

In a virtual speech at the United Nations (UN) General Assembly special session in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Wang, also Chinese state councilor and foreign minister, voiced support for holding the session as a new wave of the pandemic strikes.

He called on all parties to act decisively to curb the spread of the pandemic and leverage the support of science and technology to strengthen collective response around the world.

All parties should respect and protect every life and treat every patient with utmost efforts, Wang said, adding that vaccines should be a global public good and accessible and affordable for developing countries.

He urged all parities to enhance solidarity and cooperation, stressing that major countries should play an exemplary role in promoting collaboration, which is the right way forward.

Public health security should be made a priority on the international agenda, accompanied by efforts to improve the governance system for public health security, Wang said, adding that it is also necessary to support the World Health Organization so that it can play the critical leadership role.

Wang called for coordination in COVID-19 control and economic and social development.

He noted that all parties should bring out the best in both the government and the market to promote employment, improve people's livelihoods, and enhance development resilience.

All parties should make good use of the new business forms and models that took shape during the pandemic to boost emerging industries and promote a green economic recovery, and strengthen international coordination in macroeconomic policies to keep global industrial and supply chains stable, Wang said.

Meanwhile, Wang called for increasing help and assistance to developing countries.

All parties should provide more humanitarian assistance to vulnerable groups, and increase investment in capacity-building in such fields as public health and food security, Wang said, while calling on the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and others to provide more financial incentives to alleviate pressures for developing countries.

Besides, all parties need to create a favorable international environment for the fight against the pandemic, Wang said.

Conflicting parties should actively respond to the appeal for a global ceasefire made by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, leave the battleground and join the front line fight against the pandemic, Wang said.

He also noted that all parties should listen to the calls of the international community and lift all forms of unilateral sanctions and other unilateral coercive measures.

Wang said that under the leadership of President Xi, China has been adhering to the principle of putting people and life first, having adopted the most comprehensive, strict and thorough prevention measures to control the epidemic, and in the meantime established a medium and long-term coordination mechanism for not only epidemic prevention and control but also economic and social development.

China has also launched its largest global humanitarian operation in the history of the People's Republic of China, engaged in the most intensive "cloud-based" anti-epidemic experience exchanges, and stepped up to the responsibility of the world's largest supplier of anti-epidemic materials, he said.

Wang noted that China will continue to provide support and assistance to countries in need. China is accelerating phase III clinical trials of vaccines, which, once completed and put in use, will be provided to developing countries as global public goods to contribute to building a community of health for all.

"Guided by the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind, let us walk hand in hand, determined and undaunted, to get through this difficult time and embrace the dawn of victory," Wang said.