China has offered to build makeshift hospitals in India to accommodate the COVID-19 patients in case of a rapid rise in the number of cases – much like the ones it set up at Wuhan in its Hubei Province, where the virus first caused an outbreak.
Beijing is in touch with New Delhi to coordinate a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which so far infected over 500,000 people and killed over 23000 people around the world.
An article in China’s state-owned “Global Times” newspaper suggested that the communist country’s companies might help build makeshift hospitals in India.
“Chinese companies already in the South Asian nation (India) can offer help including aiding the locals to build makeshift hospitals like those in Wuhan if asked,” the article authored by Global Times staff reporters suggested, quoting unnamed “Chinese experts”.
“Chinese enterprises have started to make donations to India,” Ji Rong, a spokesperson in the Embassy of China in New Delhi, said earlier this week, adding: “We stand ready to provide further support and assistance to the best of our capability in light of the needs of the Indian side.”
Though the COVID-19 infected more than 82000 people and killed over 3200 people in China, the communist country seems to have succeeded in the flattening curve of the outbreak. The virus has so far infected over 918 and killed 19 people in India, where the Centre and the State Governments had enforced a lockdown to prevent community transmission.
The Chinese Government had built several temporary hospitals in and around Wuhan in January and February when the outbreak had reached its peak. A 1000-bed hospital had hit the global headlines, as it had been built in a record time of just two weeks and had been run by the People’s Liberation Army of China. Most of the makeshift hospitals in China have now been shut down as the situation has improved considerably.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Government in New Delhi and the State Governments are currently working on several proposals to make arrangements for additional hospital beds in order to meet the requirement in case of a surge in the number of COVID-19 infections. The Indian Army has kept 28 military hospitals ready for COVID-19 patients. The government is also contemplating turning train coaches into makeshift hospitals to keep COVID-19 patients in isolation and treat them.
“Chinese companies working on existing projects in India, with sufficient supply networks in place, can take over the construction of makeshift hospitals like those in Wuhan upon India's invitation,” the article in “Global Times” quoted an unidentified expert in China Railway Construction Corporation.
China’s state-owned media often convey the view of the government of the communist country.
"Chinese enterprises have started to make donations to India,” Ji Rong, a spokesperson in the Embassy of China in New Delhi, said. “We stand ready to provide further support and assistance to the best of our capability in light of the needs of the Indian side.”
She recalled that India had gifted China surgical masks, gloves, defibrillators and other medical equipment to support the communist country’s effort to contain the outbreak. “We express appreciation and thanks for that (India’s support to China). China has timely shared its experience in epidemic prevention and control and diagnosis and treatment since the beginning of the outbreak,” added the Press Counselor at the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had a discussion over the phone on Tuesday. “China is ready to share our experience, provide assistance within our capacity and open its channel for procurement to India,” Sun Weidong, China’s ambassador to India, said, quoting Wang telling Jaishankar. China has already sent medical teams to Italy and provided medical supplies to several other nations to fight the COVID-19.
Meanwhile, the United States on Saturday morning announced additional financial aid worth $ 174 million to 64 countries, which included $ 2.9 million (Rs 21 crore) for India.