Huaxi village donates epidemic prevention supplies to Mozambique

Huaxi village, known as one of the richest villages in China, has donated hundreds of thousands of masks and other medical supplies to Mozambique.

In an effort to repay the kindness shown to China by the people of Mozambique during the COVID-19 outbreak, the village transported 500,000 masks, 6,000 sets of protective clothing and 3,000 goggles to the Embassy of Mozambique in Beijing, about 1,300 kilometers away, in mid-April. The medical supplies were then immediately transported to Mozambique.

Wu Xie'en, Party chief of Huaxi, which is located in Jiangyin city, Jiangsu province, said that the village has received lots of help from the Mozambican people, including the president and governors of the nation, since it began investing there.

"We have been investing in Mozambique since 2014," Wu said. "People there have helped us, and now it's our turn to help them."

In early April, workers in Mozambique from Huaxi told their colleagues in China that the local people lacked medical supplies. Though the supplies were also very tight in China, Huaxi contacted many producers, explained the situation and managed to purchase the supplies in time.

Apart from donating medical supplies, Huaxi village also helped build infrastructure in Mozambique's remote areas, including two schools and many roads and bridges.

Maria Gustava, Mozambique's ambassador to China, said that the Mozambican people appreciated the help from the Chinese government, Huaxi and the Jack Ma Foundation as well as from social organizations and individuals.

"The brotherhood between China and Mozambique has been strong since the early days of Mozambique's liberation struggle," she was quoted by Xinhua News Agency as saying. "The two sides have never stopped helping each other through the good times and bad times over the past 45 years."

In fact, this year marks the 45th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Mozambique and the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the nation.

When the coronavirus broke out in China earlier this year, Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi quickly sent his regards to China. The Mozambican government and people also showed their support.

Gustava also said that Mozambique still needs medicine, medical supplies and testing equipment. She said she hopes that China can send medical experts to Mozambique to help the country fight the pandemic.

"The spread of COVID-19 has fully illustrated that all the countries are connected with each other and have a shared future," Wu said. "Only by working together and supporting each other can we win the battle against the coronavirus."