International Organizations and scientists support China to fight against Covid-19

27 February, 2020

“We wish the people in China a fast recovery from the new Coronavirus attack, and we firmly believe that with the strong leadership and solidarity of the nation, and with its scientific technical and engineering capability, China will be able to effectively fight and speedily win the battle against the new Coronavirus.”

Gong Ke, president of WFEO & Jacques de Méreuil, executive director of WFEO

The international science community has been closely following China’s fight against COVID-19 recently. Some international science organizations and world-renowned scientists have sent messages to the China Association for Science and Technology to express their appreciation for China’s efforts and call on the global science community to join hands against the epidemic.

“Thanks to China for its huge efforts to contain COVID-19”

Daya Reddy, president of the International Science Council (ISC), said that ISC appreciated China’s response and huge efforts to contain COVID-19. ISC will play its role as an international science organization and support China and the international community to fight the virus together, Reddy added.

Eight prominent scientists including the 2011 Nobel laureate in chemistry Daniel Shechtman and the 2015 Turing Award winner Martin Edward Hellman also expressed similar appreciation for the Chinese government and people in a letter to CAST.

The Chinese nation has an indomitable spirit and they will surely win the anti-epidemic battle, the scientists said, adding that they will stand together with the Chinese people and try their best to provide help with scientific research on the virus.

Chuah Hean Teik, president of the ASEAN Academy of Engineering and Technology, said he already felt the resolve and strength of the Chinese government and people and has faith that China will win.

Elizabeth Iro, Chief Nursing Officer at WHO, sent her best wishes for the Chinese nurses fighting COVID-19.

“I’m proud of you, I pray for you, and my heart is with you,” she said.

Annette Kennedy, president of the International Council of Nurses (ICN), gave her heartfelt admiration and thanks to the Chinese nursing workers fighting the epidemic in the frontline.

ICN CEO Howard Catton said that all the nurses in the world are with the Chinese medical workers and the ICN will work with its colleagues in China side by side and go all out to contain the epidemic.

“Faith in China”

Gong Ke, president of the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO), and Jacques de Méreuil, executive director of WFEO, expressed their confidence in China in a letter to CAST.

With the strong leadership of the Chinese government and the support of China’s scientific and technological prowess, China will be sure to win the anti-epidemic battle, they said.

They stressed that the COVID-19 epidemic is a global public health event that threatens and challenges all mankind.

“In face of the epidemic, the world is a community of shared future. To fight the epidemic, the global science community must join hands,” they said, adding that the WFEO will stand together with Chinese science and technology workers to take the challenge.

Epidemic respects no borders, said Jean-Paul Lainé,president of the World Federation of Scientific Workers. He hoped to keep contact with China and strengthen cooperation.

Eric Westhof, professor with the University of Strasbourg and member of the French Academy of Sciences, expressed his belief in a video to CAST that with the joint efforts of global medical workers and deeper and broader research and education, mankind will be more able to cope with potential public health threats in the future.

“Hope to have closer cooperation with Chinese scientists”

Although the epidemic has short-term impact on cooperation with China, the international science community expects to have closer cooperation with the country in the long run.

Bronwyn Evans, CEO of Engineers Australia, expressed that scientific cooperation between China and Australia will not be affected, saying her organization will continue to discuss with CAST the mutual recognition of engineers under their 2019 MOU.

Thomas Kiefer, international affairs coordinator at the Association of German Engineers, applauded China’s efficiency in handling the epidemic and looked forward to seeing enhanced cooperation between Chinese and German scientists and engineers. He hoped to have an opportunity to visit China this year and conduct more exchanges with the Chinese science and technology community.

Philip H. Bucksbaum, president of the American Physical Society, also hoped to have closer cooperation with Chinese scientists. He said American physicists look forward to visiting China and continuing meaningful dialogues in related research fields.

Hasan Mandal, president of the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey, said Turkey is willing to have more academic exchanges and cooperation with China. He hoped to see the start of substantive cooperation and a strong partnership between the two countries’ science communities.

The Pakistan Science Foundation, the Boston Children’s Museum, the Gwacheon National Science Museum and the Surat Science Centre have also sent messages of support and praise for China to the China Science and Technology Museum and wished China’s economic and social life will return to normal at an early date.

For more information: China Association for Science and Technology