A medic works at a COVID-19 drive-through screening center in Lisbon, Portugal, March 24, 2020. /Xinhua
China will continue to support Portugal in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, Chinese Ambassador to Portugal Cai Run said on Monday.
"China has actively supported the Portuguese and European sides in combating the pandemic by providing relevant materials and facilitating procurement of preventive materials in China," the ambassador said in an interview with Portuguese national television RTP.
He disclosed that according to preliminary statistics to date, donations from China that have arrived or are arriving in Portugal include 632,000 medical masks, 135,000 N95 masks, 102,000 pairs of medical gloves, 6,450 protective gowns, 3,500 goggles, 5,000 nucleic acid test kits, and over 100 ventilators, among other medical equipment.
The donations were made by China's provincial and municipal authorities, Chinese companies operating in Portugal and the Chinese communities in Portugal, said the ambassador.
He told RTP that China has also shared its experience in preventing, testing and treating COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, pledging that China will continue with its support.
"The Chinese side will continue to provide more donations, and at the same time, offer assistance to the Portuguese side in their purchase of these materials in China," Cai said.
The ambassador also expressed his appreciation of the solidarity and support the Portuguese government and people have shown to China during its critical fight against the pandemic.
The joint efforts in combating the COVID-19 by the two countries will "deepen the Sino-Portuguese comprehensive strategic partnership as well as the friendship and mutual trust between the two peoples," he noted.
To date, Portugal has registered 11,730 COVID-19 cases and 311 deaths, according to the Directorate-General for Health (DGS).
