G77, UN fully support China's virus efforts

The Group of 77 and the United Nations expressed full support for China's fight against novel coronavirus pneumonia during the 58th Session of the Commission for Social Development at UN Headquarters in New York on Monday.

Ambassador Rudolph Michael Ten-Pow, chairman of the G77 and permanent representative of Guyana to the United Nations, said the G77 backs the Chinese government's comprehensive efforts to contain the NCP outbreak and recognizes China's efforts in cooperating with the international community.

The G77 emphasized that the international community should work together "in a spirit of responsibility, transparency, solidarity and cooperation" and "avoid the spread of discrimination, stigma and disinformation "to bring the outbreak under control as fast as possible.

The G77, which comprises 135 developing UN member states, emphasized the importance of the World Health Organization in global public health preparedness and response and called for respect for the WHO's professional guidance on containing the outbreak.

UN Undersecretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Liu Zhenmin of China said he joins UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the heads of all UN entities in recognizing China's resilience and efforts to combat the global health challenge.

"We in the UN system are prepared to offer strong support to the people and government of China," Liu said. "We are confident that they will succeed in curbing the novel coronavirus very soon." Gbolie Desire Wulfran Ipo, chairman of the UN Commission for Social Development and ambassador of Cote d'Ivoire to the UN, expressed deep appreciation and full support for the Chinese government's "high-level political commitment and extraordinary efforts" to fight NCP and called for international solidarity and cooperation.

At an event in Houston, Chinese Consul-General Cai Wei met with US Representative Al Green to speak about the virus's impact on the state of Texas, where several people are being watched for possible infection.

"What happens in China does impact us in the United States," said Green. "But China and the United States working together can solve our problems and lay the basis for consultation."

Speaking to the anxiety in some communities over NCP, Cai said: "This is the time for facts, not fear, for science, not rumors, and for solidarity, not stigma. China is fighting the outbreak for the sake of the health of its people as well as that of the world's people.

"With its all-out efforts at home, China is reducing the risk facing countries around the world and the danger to people in other parts of the world," he said.

May Zhou in Houston contributed to this story.