The COVID-19 pandemic is spreading rapidly around the world, posing a great threat to the lives and health of all peoples. On this occasion, the Development Research Center of the State Council (DRC) expressed its condolences to the international partner agencies affected by the pandemic, and donated a batch of daily protection materials as a token of sincere friendship and a sign of mutual help.

Letters sent by Ma Jiantang to partner agencies and some of the replies. [Photo/drc.gov.cn]

On behalf of DRC, Ma Jiantang, Secretary of the Leading Party Members' Group of DRC, sent letters toMario Pezzini, Director of the OECD Development Centre; Gilles de Margerie, Commissariat-General for Strategy and Foresight/France Strategy (CGSP); Simon Zerpa,the Minister of Economy and Finance of Venezuela; Mthuli Ncube, the Minister of Finance and Economic Development of Zimbabwe; and Professor Peter Nolan of the China Centre of Jesus College, University of Cambridge, expressing his sincere condolences. In his letter, Ma said that the Chinese government and people have made painstaking efforts to improve the current situation of epidemic prevention and control in China, and production and living order are being resumed at an accelerated pace. At the same time,we are fully aware that human society has formed a community of shared destiny. The Chinese government is actively cooperating with the World Health Organization (WHO) and other countries, sharing its experience and scientific research achievements in the fight against the epidemic and providing epidemic-resistant materials and medical assistance within its capabilities. DRC firmly supports partner agencies’ efforts in the fight against the epidemic and sincerely hopes that they will go through this difficult period. It looks forward to further cooperation after the successful global fight against the epidemic.

After receiving the heart-warming letter of sympathy, partner agencies expressed their genuine thanks to DRC.

DRC International Cooperation Department packs masks for donation. [Photo/drc.gov.cn]

In addition, on behalf of the Secretariat of the Silk Road Think Tank Network (SiLKS),the DRC International Cooperation Department also sent letters of condolences and donated masks to member institutions CEI (headquartered in Italy) and the Serbian Center for International Relations and Sustainable Development, sentcondolences to the German Agency for International Cooperation and the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy, and sent a letter of condolence and donated masks to DRC's long-standing partner institution, the Blavatnik School of Government, Oxford University, United Kingdom. The donation of the masks and relatedfees was supported by the China Development Research Foundation, which is part of DRC.

In the early stages of the outbreak in China, some international partner agencies also sent letters of condolences to DRC.