'Deeply appreciate generosity' Chinese President thanks Gates Foundation for aid

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday wrote a letter thanking Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for their generosity and support for tackling coronavirus, international media reported. Earlier this month, billionaire Bill Gates announced that his foundation has committed up to USD 100 million for the global response to the outbreak. This comes as the deadly virus has reportedly infected 77,700 people and killed nearly 2,300 globally. 

Expressing gratitude, he wrote: "I deeply appreciate the act of generosity of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and your letter of solidarity to the Chinese people at such an important moment. The Foundation has been quick in joining the global action and has played an active role in the global response against the outbreak. I support your cooperation with relevant Chinese institutions and look forward to enhanced coordination and concerted efforts in the international community for the sake of health and well-being of all."

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"Mankind is a community with a shared future" 

In the letter that is available on the official website of the Chinese Government, the Chinese President also called for enhanced international coordination and concerted efforts against the outbreak. He wrote, “Since the outbreak began, I have called for confidence, unity, science-based approach and targeted response as guidelines for China's epidemic control efforts.” He added that the government has rallied the whole nation and adopted a string of unprecedented measures to contain and mitigate the epidemic and treat the sick.

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On January 27, the Foundation committed 5 million US dollars in emergency funding to support China's fight against COVID-19 and later pledged up to 100 million US dollars, part of which will help China accelerate the development of vaccines, treatments and diagnostics. In his recent letter to President Xi, Bill Gates commended the Chinese government and people for the strong epidemic response and expressed firm support to China in prevailing over the outbreak.

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