China, Int'l Committee of the Red Cross cooperate in emergency response training

BEIJING -- An international seminar on emergency response and disaster health care, jointly held by China's Ministry of Emergency Management and the International Committee of the Red Cross, opened Monday in Beijing.

Experts from the ICRC and the German Red Cross will share their experiences in aspects including field hospitals, chemical, biological and nuclear decontamination, and management of the dead after disasters with more than 80 Chinese first responders at the five-day seminar, the first of its kind.

"It is a pleasure for us to share our international experience and expertise and help to contribute in building the capacity of first line responders in China," said Pierre Dorbes, head of the ICRC's regional delegation for east Asia, in a speech at the seminar's opening ceremony.

"The seminar is part of efforts to improve our capacity of international humanitarian aid and medical assistance in emergencies," said Liu Weimin, director of the ministry's international cooperation and rescue department, at the ceremony. "We believe that the two sides will have multiple opportunities to cooperate in emergency response in countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative in the future."