Victory will be won

After the novel coronavirus outbreak, I went to the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs to meet the Ambassador for Global Public Health. As soon as he was seated, he said to me that the epidemic itself could occur in any country or region at any time. China has taken timely measures to detect, isolate and treat the infected, and it has shown firm confidence and acted in an open and transparent manner. He was sure that with all of these efforts, China would be able to defeat the virus.

This was a vote of confidence from the international community on China's epidemic control work. Since the start of the outbreak, under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, the country has given full play to its institutional advantages and the Chinese people have united as one to help each other fight the epidemic. Up till now, we have achieved significant results, curbed the spread of the epidemic and won the recognition of the World Health Organization and the international community.

As President Xi Jinping has emphasized, public health security is a common challenge for humankind, and countries need to work together to overcome any threat. China's resolute fight against the epidemic is not only related to the health and wellbeing of the Chinese people, but also a major contribution to global public health. The Chinese embassy in Sweden has actively interacted with the Swedish government and people to contribute to the public health security of the world and the region.

We are communicating closely and sharing information with the Swedish government. I visited the European Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Stockholm and attended a briefing hosted by the center for the Sweden's mission to introduce China's progress in its epidemic prevention and control work and to promote cooperation between the two sides. The person in charge of the center sincerely thanked China for its close cooperation with the European Union in adhering to the principle of openness and transparency, and emphasized that all EU countries stand with China in the fight against the virus. Several envoys in Sweden appreciated China's efforts and the sacrifices its people were making to control the epidemic and prevent the spread of the virus. We have established hotline contacts and actively coordinated with the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Public Health Agency and other relevant departments. The Swedish Public Health Agency has repeatedly called on the public to take a rational view and take the advised protection measures to avoid panic and overreaction. It also refrained from taking unnecessary measures such as closing the border.

Sweden has world-class medical research institutes, and many Swedish medical experts have provided suggestions for China's epidemic defense and control work. An expert from the Karolinska Institute, one of the world's leading medical universities, provided a plan to use existing drugs to treat critically ill patients. We immediately reported back to China and the idea was approved by the joint prevention and control mechanism of the State Council for clinical treatment. A well-known professor of infectious diseases at Uppsala University said to me that in the past 10 years, humans have been attacked by coronaviruses many times. This epidemic is not the first, nor will it be the last. The growing global population and globalization will undoubtedly increase the risk of pathogen transmission. China has responded in a textbook style and set a good example for other countries.

Protecting the health, safety and rights and interests of Chinese citizens and overseas Chinese in Sweden is our top priority in response to the epidemic. We lost no time in issuing consular reminders, suggesting that Chinese citizens in Sweden pay close attention to the official Chinese and Swedish information updates, correctly understand the epidemic situation and strengthen their protection awareness. The consular officer of the embassy provided timely assistance to a Chinese citizen in Sweden, and contacted the hospital for medical treatment at midnight. It was quickly determined that the person did not have the novel coronavirus. After a few cases of discrimination against Chinese people were reported in Sweden, I made representations to the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and accepted an interview with TT News Agency. I called on the Swedish people to oppose racial discrimination. To protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens and Chinese in Sweden, I demanded that the Swedish side take effective measures to prevent discrimination against Chinese from happening in Sweden. I am pleased to see that the Swedish mainstream society generally believes that the epidemic is by no means an excuse for discrimination and discrimination is contrary to Sweden's basic values.

The Chinese citizens as well as overseas Chinese in Sweden and Chinese companies in Sweden care about the epidemic situation. While doing their best to protect themselves, they are taking active steps to fully support domestic anti-epidemic actions. The Swedish Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Geely CEVT, and major Swedish overseas Chinese communities have actively donated money and materials to support Hubei province and other places to help them overcome the difficulties they face.

By standing together through the storm, we will see the rainbow after the rain. When I met with the Speaker of Sweden Parliament Andreas Norlén not long ago, he expressed condolences to the Chinese people on the outbreak of the epidemic. Many Swedish companies in China have donated money to Hubei and other places. Some Swedish friends have written articles and recorded videos in praise of China's prevention and control efforts and expressed condolences and support to the Chinese people. Their chants of "Come on Wuhan, come on China" are really moving. Recently, several cases of novel coronavirus pneumonia have also been confirmed in Sweden. China empathizes with the Sweden's difficulties, and all affected countries. In the face of the epidemic, all countries should realize they are members of a community with a shared future. I fully believe that as long as the international community is united, we will be able to prevail over the virus. Victory is ahead.

The author is the Chinese ambassador to Sweden. The author contributed this article to China Watch, a think tank powered by China Daily. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.