'Iron-clad friends': China lauds Pakistan's decision to not evacuate citizens from virus-hit Wuhan
Beijing/IBNS: China on Monday said China and Pakistan are "iron-clad friends" appreciating Pakistan's decision of not evacuating its citizens from coronavirus-stricken Hubei and the city of Wuhan even as Pakistan continues to draw flak from its people for the decision
Reports said, till Sunday night 361 people died from Coronavirus infection and more than 17000 people were infected. These numbers are likely to increase in the coming weeks.
In a daily online briefing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Hua Chunying said, "Prime Minister Imran Khan and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi highly commend and firmly support China's efforts to fight against the nCoV."
Chunying said the Pakistani government has appreciated Chinese assistance to Pakistani citizens and expressed full confidence in the capabilities of the Chinese system in controlling the outbreak and eliminating the disease.
Several Pakistani students posted videos expressing anger and frustration over Pakistan's stand to show solidarity with disease-hit China and comparing their situation with Indian students who were evacuated from Wuhan over the weekend.
The majority of the cases including deaths are from Hubei. Hundreds of Pakistani students are studying medicine in Wuhan, which is currently under lockdown amid Coronavirus scare.
India evacuated over 600 stranded people from Wuhan in the last two days.
Wuhan is the epicenter of the disease that has claimed over 300 lives in China so far.
Not paying heed to the anger and frustration of its citizens,last week Pakistani foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi communicated Pakistan's decision tol not evacuate its citizens from China to state councilor and foreign minister, Wang Yi .
However, China has interpreted the Pakistan government's decision as that of its people and said they "are standing firmly with their Chinese brethren".
"China and Pakistan are iron-clad friends that share a good tradition of mutual assistance. As China fights the outbreak, Pakistan has stood firmly with us, maintaining flights and pooling medical supplies all over the country to help China. We are deeply grateful and touched by such trust and confidence. China will continue to work in close communication and coordination with Pakistan to safeguard the health of Pakistanis in China," she added.
"Like Pakistan, many other countries have also expressed full confidence in China. We thank them. We have the confidence and the capability to win the fight against the outbreak as soon as possible and safeguard the life and health of their citizens in China," Chunying said.
Contrary to the claims of Chinese and Pakistani governments, Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Naghmana Hashmi was quoted by Pakistani media as saying on Sunday that Pakistani students should remain in the virus-hit Chinese city of Wuhan as Pakistani medical facilities are not advanced enough to treat a patient diagnosed with coronavirus.
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