China Merchants Group Lends a Helping Hand for Countries of the “Belt & Road” Initiative in the Fight against the Pandemic
The year 2020 witnessed the COVID-19 outbreak which swept across the world, taking a heavy toll of lives, and causing huge property losses to people of numerous countries. As a major participant and proponent of the “Belt & Road” Initiative, China Merchants Group took an active role in strengthening international cooperation in overcoming the pandemic by extending much-needed assistance to countries such as Djibouti, Belarus and Sri Lanka. The Group donated 132,500 units of anti-epidemic supplies, including surgical masks, N95 protective masks, and respirators, worth approximately US$1.02 million.
As the saying goes, a friend in need is a friend indeed. At the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak in China, Djibouti had provided medical supplies worth US$100,000 to China Merchants Group. Belarus provided about 40 tons of humanitarian aid at a crucial time in China’s fight against the epidemic. China-Belarus Industrial Park organized US$30,000 of materials to donate to Hubei anti-epidemic frontline in February, 2020.
When the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Djibouti on March 17, and the epidemic prevention and treatment situation became increasingly grim. In response to the request of the Djibouti government, China Merchants Group immediately pooled together a consignment of COVID-19 virus detection equipment worth US$280,000 and coordinated professional logistics in China and overseas, to deliver the supplies to Djibouti at the earliest. Djibouti’s President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh sent a letter of appreciation to China Merchants Group for its significant contribution to Djibouti’s epidemic prevention and management.
In early April, 2020, China Merchants Group donated 10,000 oximeters and 30,000 high-grade N95 masks and other materials worth US$300,000 to the Ministry of Health of Belarus along with logistics assistance during the entire process. Nikolay Snopkov, former ambassador of Belarus to China, sent a letter of appreciation to China Merchants Group for its valuable support.
China Merchants Group also donated US$200,000 to the COVID-19 Special Fund of Sri Lanka to support the construction of public health infrastructure in the country.
Ensuring the Safety of Employees
When the Belarus epidemic entered the peak period of infection, China-Belarus Industrial Park started an emergent response plan, allowing employees to work from home and a shift duty scheme, which effectively reduced the risk of cluster infection of the workplace to a minimum. During the stable period, the company took measures of regular nucleic acid test and antibody detection to ease epidemic situation. At the same time, the company has stocked considerable amount of disposable masks, KN95 masks, protective clothing, disinfectant, disposable gloves to handling epidemic prevention.
In Sri Lanka, HIPG introduced a three-level response system to contain the pandemic, in line with the standards and policies made by the country's Ministry of Health and the WHO. HIPG has also organized all its employees and third-party service providers to get vaccinated.
Supporting Community wellbeing
In March, 2020, when the situation of pandemic was getting worse in Djibouti, China Merchants Port, a subsidiary of China Merchants Group, collaborated with partners from all sectors to donate and deliver 280,000 disposable medical masks, 1,000 sets of protective clothing, 2,000 sets of goggles, and 20,000 pairs of gloves to Djibouti.
In late April, 2020, China-Belarus Industrial Park donated temperature measuring robots to help with the epidemic prevention of Minsk International Airport. In late May, the company donated US$10,000 of medical supplies to Belarus's Moljevic District.
In Sri Lanka, CICT has donated 1,000 sets of protective clothing and 25,000 masks to the local government and organizations. HIPG donated food to Buddhist temples, mosques, churches, Hindu temples and social care service centers in Hambantota area. HIPG has also mobilized surgical masks, gloves and protective clothing for the District General Hospital of Hambantota and donated masks to Sri Lanka Army Hospital. In October 2020, when the second pandemic wave hit the country, CICT donated US$100,000 to the COVID-19 Special Fund of Sri Lanka, and its employees donated another US$4,000 to the fund.
On April 17, China Merchants Group donated US$300,000 worth of medical supplies to the Ministry of Health of Belarus.
On April 7, 2020, the first batch of anti-epidemic materials donated by CMPort arrived in Djibouti.
CICT donated US$100,000 to Sri Lanka COVID-19 Fund in Oct 2020.
HIPG continuously donated essential food to local community in Hambantota area of Sri Lanka during the pandemic.