ITALY: Joint Action for Defeating the COVID-19 Silk Road Community Building Initiative Time：2020/04/02

In the morning of March 31, the handover ceremony of health and epidemic prevention materials to Italy was held in Beijing. To which it was launched by the Joint Action for Defeating the COVID-19 Silk Road Community Building Initiative. The distinguished and privileged attendees include Emanuele de Maigret, Minister Counselor, head of the Economic and Commercial Office of the Embassy of Italy in China, Xu Jianguo, Secretary General of China Foundation for Peace and Development (CFPD), Zhang Hairuo, Director of Public Affairs Department of Tencent Charity Foundation, Jiang Yongmao, Deputy Secretary-General of Chinese Medical Association and among other related representatives. These charitable donation activities are initiated by China NGO Network for International Exchanges, supported by Tencent Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., sponsored by CFPD and participated in by Chinese Medical Association.

In March 2020, in the face of a sudden encountering with COVID-19 outbreak, CFPD actively responded to the call of the Joint Action for Defeating the COVID-19 Silk Road Community Building Initiative, and offered help to the countries in need through medical material donations, and work hand-in-hand with the international community to fight against the COVID-19. This time the amount of one million surgical masks handed over to Embassy of Italy in China, all of which came from the caring donation of Chinese enterprises.

“During the COVID-19 epidemic, President Sergio Mattarella and President Xi Jinping have exchanged letters with one another, from which the profound friendship between the two peoples is literally further confirmed” said Emanuele de Maigret, Minister Counselor of the Embassy of Italy in China. The year 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Italy and China. Especially at this difficult time, the Italian people continue to receive valuable support and assistance from China. On behalf of the Italian government and people, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Chinese side. It is believed that after the COVID-19, Italy-China relations will be stronger and, the traditional friendship and mutual trust between the two countries will be further deepened.

The Joint Action for Silk Road Community Building Initiative was launched by China NGO Network for International Exchanges at the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in April 2019. To which it is aimed to enhance people-to-people cultural exchanges and livelihood cooperation between Chinese NGOs and other NOGs located along with the Belt and Road countries, to promote exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, to advance people's wellbeing of all countries, and therefore as such to realize the people-to-people common aspiration of all countries.