China in touch with India to help combat Covid-19 spike, offer of help comes from NGO in Pakistan too

Beijing is in touch with New Delhi and has offered any assistance the Government of India may need to deal with the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Chinese Government said on Friday.

Pakistan’s well-known humanitarian organization, Edhi Foundation, too offered to send 50 of its ambulances to India to help transport the Covid-19 patients to the hospitals. “As a neighbouring friend, we sympathise with you greatly and during this strenuous time, we would like to extend our help in the form of fleet of 50 ambulances along with our services to assist you in addressing, and further circumventing, the current health conditions,” Faisal Edhi, the director of the Edhi Foundation, wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Faisal is the son of the founder of the organization late Abdul Sattar Edhi.

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France also offered help to India to deal with the second Covid-19 wave. So did the European Union.

China expressed its condolences over the surge in the Covid-19 fatalities in India. “The Chinese Government and people firmly support the Indian Government and people in fighting the epidemic, and are willing to provide support and assistance in accordance with the needs of India,” Zhao Lijian, the spokesperson of the communist country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in Beijing.

Beijing is “maintaining communication” with New Delhi. “China believes that people and government of India people will be able to overcome the epidemic at an early date,” he said.

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“I want to send a message of solidarity to the Indian people, facing a resurgence of the Covid-19 cases. France is with you in this struggle, which spares no-one. We stand ready to provide our support,” French President Emmanuel Macron stated.

“The #EU (European Union) stands in solidarity with Indian people amidst resurgent #COVID19 pandemic. The fight against the virus is a common fight,” Charles Michel, President of the European Council, tweeted. He also promised to discuss the EU’s support and cooperation to India on May 8, when he would join Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a virtual summit.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on lauded the EU for offering support to India to deal with the second Covid-19 wave. “Appreciated the support offered by EU on Covid challenges currently faced by India. Confident that EU will help strengthen our capabilities at this critical juncture,” he posted on Twitter.