Chinese Foreign Ministry confirms: We are sending masks and protective outfits to Serbia

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Sunday night that he had sent a letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping asking for help in the fight against coronavirus

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said China would "stand firmly with Serbia in the battle against COVID19."

He told a news conference that China would send assistance to Serbia in the form of masks, which are necessary in preventing the spread of infections via the virus, as well as protective outfits and other medical supplies.

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This has been confirmed by Chinese ambassador in Belgrade, Chen Bo, during a meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who said that this assistance would arrive, if all goes to plan, by the end of the week.

Chinese Foreign Ministry: We will stand firmly with Serbia

Geng Shuang announced that all the necessary assistance would soon arrive in Serbia.

"Serbia is China's close friend. We will stand firmly with Serbia in the battle against COVID19 and provide them with masks, protective outfits, ventilators and other medical supplies, and send our medical expert groups there," Geng said.

At the meeting with Chinese Ambassador Chen Bo, the president of Serbia said that Serbia is not yet in a situation like some other countries, but that something like that will soon happen to us, and in order to avoid this worst case scenario, we need Chinese help and support.

"So please send us everything you can, and money is not a problem for us. Send us masks, gloves... We need tens of millions of masks, gloves, ventilators... Literally everything, and most of all we need your knowledge and people who would like to help us in Belgrade and Serbia, to help us out of this difficult crisis without having tens and thousands of dead people," said Vucic.

The Chinese ambassador also confirmed that the Chinese side will pay great attention to Serbia's needs in fighting the virus.

"We have already decided to make a donation and then send in the experts," Chen said, adding that she would give Vucic a list of what China would do during the day.

"If all goes well, I hope that by the end of this week, experts from China will arrive," she said, while Vucic added that every day is important for Serbia.

The first batch of aid from China arrived yesterday in Serbia: testing kits for detecting coronavirus, as confirmed by the prime minister and the president himself.

The PM added that the virus detection kits were donated by the Chinese charity Mammoth Foundation, which is based in the Chinese city of Shenzhen.

"This was done in coordination with the Chinese embassy in Belgrade and the government of Serbia, with great assistance from President Vucic. Big thanks for the assistance on behalf of all citizens," said Brnabic, adding that more donations can be expected.

(Telegraf.rs)