 BAGHDAD -- Chinese Ambassador to Iraq Zhang Tao on Wednesday handed medical aid to Iraqi Ministry of Defense to fight COVID-19. "During the past two months, China has provided Iraq with three batches of medical aid," Zhang said in a handover ceremony in Baghdad, adding that the ministry played an important role in transporting supplies from China to Iraq. "China and Iraq are good friends and dear partners. When China went through difficulties and challenges over COVID-19, the Iraqi side gave a hand to China. Therefore, when Iraq faces difficulties, we are keen to provide assistance to Iraq," Zhang said. "This is what real friends should do," he added. Iraqi Minister of Defense Najah al-Shammari expressed gratitude for China's assistance to the Iraqi people and government. "COVID-19 is a global pandemic that has affected all countries of the world, which needs extensive international cooperation in all fields, especially in the medical field," al-Shammari said, describing the medical cooperation between Iraq and China as "more than excellent." Al-Shammari praised China's efforts in supporting Iraq to confront the outbreak of coronavirus by sending medical aid, laboratory testing devices, and a team of experts, who trained medical personnel in nine Iraqi provinces. Earlier on Monday, China sent the third medical batch to Baghdad as part of China's assistance to boost Iraq's capability to contain the COVID-19 outbreak. On March 7, China sent the first batch of medical aid to Iraq, with a medical team of seven Chinese experts to work with their Iraqi counterparts to fight the coronavirus, while the second batch of aid arrived on April 8. |
