BEIJING, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese government has been doing its best to help African countries affected by the Ebola epidemic since its outbreak in April.
The record-breaking assistance has demonstrated China's sincerity and selflessness in helping Africa, and its courage and willingness to shoulder responsibilities of a major country.
The following is a chronology of China's serried actions and pledges in contributing to the global anti-Ebola efforts in 2014:
In May, China sent the first batch of relief goods, mostly for disease prevention, control and treatment, to Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea-Bissau, valued at 1 million yuan (161,000 U.S. dollars) for each country.
On Aug. 7, the Ministry of Commerce announced China would provide the second batch relief worth of 30 million yuan (4.9 million dollars), mainly including personal protective equipment, patient monitors, sprays and medicines, to Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, the hardest-hit countries by the Ebola epidemic. The relief has been in place.
On Aug. 9, the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) said China would send three disease control expert teams to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone to provide technical assistance to local health authorities in prevention and control of the Ebola virus, the first time that China offers assistance to foreign countries in response to a public health emergency. The teams have been working to a full gear ever since.
On Aug. 11, Chinese President Xi Jinping sent messages to presidents of Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia respectively to show sympathy to the three countries over the deaths in the Ebola outbreak, saying China is willing to support them in containing the spread of the disease.
On Aug. 16, President Xi pledged in a meeting with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that China would continue to help the international effort in controlling the epidemic.
On Sept. 10, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said China is prepared to "fight side by side" with West African countries to combat Ebola.
On Sept. 12, the Ministry of Commerce announced another 200 million yuan (32.54 million dollars) package of humanitarian aid to African countries and international organizations to help control the disease.
On Sept. 16, Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone Zhao Yanbo said the Chinese government had dispatched another medical team of 59 experts and a mobile laboratory to the African country.
On Sept. 18, President Xi announced a new aid package of 200 million yuan for Liberia, Sierra Leon and Guinea.
On Sept. 22, Chinese Ambassador to Benin Tao Weiguang and Benin's Foreign Minister Arifari Bako Nassirou signed an agreement on the Chinese government's material assistance worth 840,000 dollars for the prevention of the virus.
On Sept. 25, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on the sidelines of the annual UN General Debate that the Chinese people will always stand beside the African people in the fight against Ebola.
On Sept. 29, Chinese Ambassador to Ghana Sun Baohong said China had provided Ghana with 5 million yuan (833,000 dollars) worth of equipment and medical supplies.
On Sept. 30, Chinese Ambassador to Togo Liu Yuxi and Togo's Prime Minister Kwesi Ahoomey-Zunu singed an agreement on China's assistance of about 840,000 dollars.
On Oct. 9, the Ministry of Commerce said China had made a deal with the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) to provide 6 million dollars of food aid to Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea.
On Oct. 15, President Xi pledged further efforts with the international community to fight the epidemic as he received credentials of new ambassadors to China.
At the 10th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit on Oct. 16, Premier Li pledged at least 100 million yuan (16 million dollars) worth of additional aid for West Africa.
On Oct. 18, Chinese State Councillor Yang Jiechi and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry agreed to enhance cooperation in fighting the epidemic.
On Oct. 19, Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his French counterpart, Laurent Fabius, agreed to join hands to combat the "unprecedented" spread of Ebola in West Africa.
On Oct. 21, Premier Li called for more humanitarian aid to the Ebola fight as China has continued its strong commitment to and engagement in preventing the spread of the virus.
On Oct. 24, President Xi said at a meeting with visiting Tanzanian President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete that China would provide 500 million yuan (about 82 million dollars) in aid to Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and international organizations.
On Oct. 27, the Ministry of Commerce said China sent a new round of relief materials to seven African countries.
On Oct. 30, China unveiled the details of its 4th batch of aid worth some 82 million dollars to help African countries.
Also on Oct. 30, Yang Yujun, a spokesman for the Chinese Defense Ministry, said the Chinese military has joined the government's efforts to help African countries' fight Ebola.
On Nov. 5, the NHFPC said China has planned to send over 1,000 medical workers and experts to West Africa in the coming months.
On Nov. 17, the Chinese government donated materials and financial aid totaling 1.6 million dollars to assist Nigeria's campaign to prevent the disease.
On Nov. 20, the Chinese government donated medical supplies worth 5 million yuan (about 820,000 dollars) to assist Togo in its Ebola virus disease prevention and response strategy.
On Nov. 25, the construction of a 100-bed Ebola treatment center in Liberia funded by the Chinese government was completed.
On Dec. 2, Zhang Xiangchen, China's assistant minister of commerce, and Alain Noudehou, the UN Resident Coordinator and United Nations Development Program Resident Representative in China, signed an agreement on Chinese donation of 6 million dollars to aid global fight Ebola.
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