Stronger Together

携手抗疫

 

China and Bulgaria are pooling their strength, along with that of other countries, in a joint response to the novel coronavirus pandemic

中保共推构建人类命运共同体

By Dong Xiaojun

驻保加利亚大使董晓军

30 March 2020

2020年3月30日

The novel coronavirus is spreading across the world. On March 7, two infections were confirmed in Bulgaria for the first time. On March 13, Bulgaria declared a state of emergency and upgraded its prevention and control measures against the epidemic.

新型冠状病毒肺炎疫情正在侵袭全球。3月7日，保加利亚首次确诊两个新冠病毒肺炎病例。3月13日，保宣布全国进入紧急状态，疫情防控全面升级。

In the face of the outbreak of the unknown virus, the Chinese government has overcome difficulties, demonstrated its sense of responsibility as a major country, and made significant contributions to the prevention and control of the global pandemic and the cause of international public health security. Although China and Bulgaria are far apart geographically, the two countries are working side by side in the war against the novel coronavirus.

面对汹涌而至的未知病毒，中国政府克服困难，彰显负责任大国的风范和担当，为全球疫情防控和国际卫生安全事业作出重大贡献。中保相距遥远，但面对这场全人类共同的“战疫”，两国虽远犹近，同此凉热。

At the beginning of the outbreak in China, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, National Assembly Chairperson Tsveta Karayancheva, Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva sent letters to Chinese leaders to express their sympathies, support, and firm confidence that China would prevail over the epidemic. On March 18, Premier Li Keqiang spoke with Prime Minister Borissov. He commended the growing China-Bulgaria relations and noted the ongoing fight against COVID-19 in both China and Bulgaria. He expressed China’s readiness to share its containment experience with Bulgaria, provide assistance within its capacity, and facilitate Bulgaria’s purchase of urgently needed medical supplies from China via commercial channels. On the same day, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi sent a letter to Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Zaharieva, saying that China is ready to conduct exchanges with Bulgaria in the fields of medical treatment and epidemic prevention and control, and provide assistance within its capacity to help it tide over the difficulties.

疫情伊始，保加利亚总统拉德夫、议长卡拉扬切娃、总理博里索夫、副总理兼外长扎哈里埃娃分别致函中国国家领导人，表示慰问和支持，对中国战疫必胜表示坚定的信心。保加利亚出现确诊病例后，3月18日，李克强总理应约与博里索夫总理通话，李克强积极评价中保关系发展，表示当前中保双方都在努力抗击新冠肺炎疫情。中方愿同保方加强防疫经验交流，向保方提供力所能及的帮助，并为保方通过商业渠道从中国采购急需的医疗物资提供必要便利。同日，王毅国务委员兼外长致函保副总理兼外长扎哈里埃娃，表示中方愿同保方开展医疗救治和疫情防控领域交流，提供力所能及的帮助，守望相助，共克时艰。

The Chinese embassy in Bulgaria immediately established a specific mechanism with the Bulgarian government, maintaining close communication on the development of the epidemic and updating China’s prevention and control measures. My colleagues and I have provided the latest, most comprehensive and accurate anti-epidemic information through news conferences, interviews and articles, so that the Bulgarian people could understand the epidemic situation objectively and rationally. The embassy has also helped the overseas Chinese, Chinese students and Chinese companies to enhance their protection, while urging them to strictly comply with relevant prevention requirements by the Bulgarian government and fulfill their social responsibilities and obligations.

中国驻保加利亚大使馆第一时间同保政府建立专门联络机制，就疫情发展保持密切沟通，及时通报中方的防控努力。我和使馆的同事们通过新闻发布会、接受采访、发表文章等方式，提供最新、最全、最准的一手材料，引导保民众客观、理性看待疫情。使馆一方面帮助在保华人华侨、留学生和中资机构人员做好个人防护，另一方面指导他们严格遵守保政府相关防疫要求，履行社会责任和义务。

With the support of the embassy, the Chinese community in Bulgaria has taken measures far beyond the level of requirements of the Bulgarian government. They voluntarily set up “volunteer teams”, organized special vehicles to pick up returning Chinese and send them home directly from the airport for home based isolation, urged them to complete registration procedures, and assisted with the supply of daily necessities. This sense of responsibility toward oneself, the Chinese community and Bulgarian society as a whole has been highly commended by the government of Bulgaria.

在使馆的支持下，在保华人华侨和留学生们采取了远超出保加利亚政府防控要求的举措。他们自发成立“志愿小组”，组织专车赴机场接送返保中国人回家隔离，督促其履行登记报备手续，协助居家隔离人员生活物资保障。这种对本人负责、对在保华人群体负责、对保加利亚社会负责的态度得到了保政府的积极评价。

While fighting the epidemic, the Chinese government has taken concrete steps to help the rest of the world fend off the virus. The video conference of experts from China and central and eastern European countries on epidemic prevention and control held on March 13 was an unprecedented and successful experiment by the 17+1 cooperation mechanism to address the urgent needs of the 17 countries to prevent the spread of the virus. Representatives from relevant institutions in China shared anti-epidemic experiences with experts and scholars from central and eastern European countries. Bulgarian Health Ministry officials expressed appreciation to the Chinese experts for sharing timely, effective and professional information, highly commended the remarkable achievements of China’s prevention and control measures, and paid tribute to their Chinese peers.

在奋力抗击国内疫情的同时，中国政府以实际行动积极帮助世界其他国家抵御病毒侵袭。3月13日举行的中国——中东欧国家新冠肺炎疫情防控专家视频会议，是17+1合作机制在疫情蔓延中东欧情况下一次史无前例、解17国燃眉之急的成功探索。中国相关部门代表同中东欧国家的专家学者们分享抗疫信息，交流防控经验。参加会议的保卫生部官员感谢中方专家分享及时、有效、专业的信息，高度评价中国防控措施取得的显著成果，并向中国同行致敬。

In the era of globalization, all countries share a common stake in security. No country is immune to the pandemic. It is the only correct choice for the international community to uphold the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind and work together in times of adversity to fight the epidemic. At present, Europe is the epicenter of COVID-19, facing severe challenges. In the wake of the huge realistic and psychological impacts of this pandemic, a growing number of people with insight in Bulgaria have better understanding of the necessity, urgency and possibility of building a community with a shared future for mankind. The world needs to pool its strength, with a joint response to the epidemic as a first step, to build together a community with a shared future for mankind.

全球化时代，各国安危与共，休戚相关。面对疫情，任何一个国家都难以独善其身。秉持人类命运共同体理念，同舟共济、共同战“疫”，是国际社会的唯一正确选择。当前，欧洲已经成为疫情的重灾区，防控工作任重道远。经过此次疫情的巨大现实和心理冲击，越来越多的保加利亚有识之士认识到“构建人类命运共同体”的必要性、紧迫性和可能性。人类世界需要凝聚起强大的磅礴力量，以此次共同应对疫情为起始，投入到构建人类命运共同体的伟大实践中去。