资讯 | 刘晓明大使接受中国国际电视台专访
记者：非常感谢刘大使接受我们节目采访。由于新冠肺炎疫情，我们此次专访不同寻常、座位相距数米距离，那就让我们从英国应对疫情措施开始吧。英国政府最近几周内加大防控力度，我们看到伦敦开始封城，政府也采取了前所未有的经济措施。你如何看待英国政府到目前为止的应对情况？
刘大使：我们非常关注这里的情况。就在三天前，习近平主席与约翰逊首相通电话，这是他们一个多月来第二次电话交谈。这是非常罕见的。在通话中，习主席表示我们慰问和支持英国人民抗击疫情。我们注意到欧洲疫情发展非常迅速，英国的形势也很严峻。我们不仅是表示慰问，还随时准备提供援助，包括医疗物资。在湖北和武汉应对疫情的艰难时期，英方向我们提供了两批医疗物资。我们对此深表感谢。现在轮到我们为英国提供最需要的医疗物资了。
我们也非常关心居住在英国的中国公民。习主席说，我们高度重视保护海外中国公民的身体健康和生命安全，特别是在英国的中国留学生。我们有大约22万中国留学生在这里学习，数量在欧洲排第一、世界排第二。这些学生在中国的父母及亲属非常关心他们的安全和健康。我接到了他们的很多电话。在过去三天中，我两次与中国留学生进行深入在线交流。记者：从中国经历看，英国未来几周内确诊病例还将迅速上升。两国领导人本周早些时候进行了交流。英方是否已正式要求中国提供帮助？如果有的话，中方会提供帮助吗？
刘大使：是的。中英两国在抗击疫情过程中开展了多方面的合作。正如我所说，两国领导人保持着非常密切的磋商和沟通。此外，中国的专家和医生也在分享经验。约翰逊首相在电话中高度评价了中国在控制疫情方面的成效和速度，并表示中国的经验非常宝贵，英方希望汲取中国经验。我们随时准备与英国分享经验。两国在药物和疫苗方面也在开展紧密合作，牛津大学、帝国理工、剑桥大学等英国大学都正与中国的同行开展密切合作。中英两国企业合作也非常紧密。我在伦敦会见了葛兰素史克（GSK）的全球事务总裁，他告诉我该公司正与中国三叶草制药公司合作开发疫苗。
中英也在国际层面开展密切合作。中英都具有全球影响的大国，都是联合国安理会常任理事国和20国集团的重要成员。今天将召开G20特别峰会，习主席将出席此次峰会。我们也与英国保持良好协调。这是中英加强双边和多边合作的良机。我认为，这些充分彰显了中英之间的战略伙伴关系。记者：英国目前医疗物资短缺，英方是否已提出希中国支援物资设备，包括呼吸机和药物？
刘大使：是的，中方已做好准备向英方提供医疗物资，包括药物、口罩、呼吸机、防护服和护目镜等。
记者：英方的需求有多大？
刘大使：我没有具体的数字。中方将向英国派出1到2个工作组，他们将带来一些医疗物资，并通过视频连线与英国专家分享经验。中方工作组专家和医生将与英国的同行深入交流，携手合作。
记者：工作组未来几周会抵达吗？
刘大使：我希望很快。
记者：太好了！中国国内疫情最新形势如何？我们看到中国国内已多日无新增病例，只有少数输入性病例。中国是否已经打赢这场抗疫之战？这样说是否太早？
刘大使：现在这么说还为时尚早。我们的这场战役已取得显著、重要成果，但仍需保持警惕，不能说战斗已经结束。因为目前仍有一些零星散发病例和境外输入病例，这给我们带来挑战。我们仍在同时进行两场战斗，一场是抗击疫情，另一场是恢复人们的正常生活、生产和信心。因此现在就说战斗已取得胜利还为时尚早。正如习近平主席所说，我们要构建人类命运共同体。这次疫情再次显示，我们同属人类命运共同体。
疫情是全世界共同挑战，目前已在近200个国家和地区发生，中国不可能独善其身。
首先，我们必须继续保持高度警惕，特别是对境外输入病例。其次，我们必须与包括英国在内的国际社会加强合作。中方一方面继续帮助英国抗疫，另一方面也希望英方与中方联防联控，控制疫情蔓延。中方切实希望英方加强边境管控。正常情况下，中英间每周有168个航班，目前每周有23个航班。目前英国疫情仍在蔓延，我们有理由对境外输入病例感到关切。我读到一篇报道，最近几天中国的输入病例有不少来自英国，我们双方应该合作应对。虽然在中国的一些城市，甚至在武汉以外的湖北省一些地区，已经开始逐步防松交通等方面的管控，但是我们还不能说战斗已经结束，可以高枕无忧。
记者：你对中国迅速控制住疫情是否感到惊讶？
刘大使：我一点都不惊讶。习近平主席多次讲，中国政府将人民群众的健康和安全放在第一位。疫情发生后，中国政府采取了最严格、最全面、最迅速的应对举措。这体现了中国政府高度的责任感。我们能够控制住疫情，要归功于以习近平主席为核心的党中央的坚强领导，以及中国特色社会主义制度优势，能够举国动员、共同抗疫。
更重要的是，中国人民团结奋战、共克时艰。中华民族有互帮互助的优良传统，中国有句谚语，“一方有难，八方支援”，讲的就是这一点。此次疫情发生以来，来自中国全国各地多达4万名医务工作者驰援湖北和武汉。这就是中国成功控制住疫情的“法宝”。我们的医务工作者面对疫情义无反顾、不畏牺牲，在我们心中，他们不愧是当代英雄。还有湖北和武汉的人民，为抗击疫情作出了巨大牺牲。他们中很多人自发组织起来，帮助老弱病残。因此我们谈到举国动员，不仅指的是军队和医务工作者，还包括广大普通百姓。这是我们成功控制住疫情的最重要经验。
谈到同英方分享经验，我赞同约翰逊首相在电视讲话中的表态，他说英国也应举国动员。英国民众应该听从政府建议，担负起社会责任。这一点至关重要，中国人民在抗击疫情时展现了高度的社会责任感。我这样讲，并不是说英国民众缺乏社会责任感，他们只是更习惯没有限制、自由自在的生活。但现在整个国家处于抗击疫情的关键时期，大家不仅要考虑个人自由，更要兼顾他人福祉。这是中国愿同世界分享的一条经验。
记者：我有幸参加了使馆此前举行的抗击疫情记者会，你在记者会上谈到英国出现针对华侨华人的种族歧视问题，一些人甚至遭到人身攻击。最近这方面是否有所改善？据你所知，目前英国是否仍存在此类现象？中国驻英国使领馆将如何应对？英国政府是否足够认真对待这一问题？
刘大使：英国各界正在认真对待这一问题。总的来说，英国人民对中国人民抗击疫情普遍给予同情和支持。英国媒体的报道也相对平衡。但个别现象仍然存在。就在几天前，南安普顿大学中国留学生遭到当地青少年辱骂殴打。中国驻英使领馆高度重视、严肃对待类似事件，第一时间向英国政府、警方提出交涉，要求他们加强对中国留学生的保护，严肃处理涉种族歧视案件。我们建议中国留学生团结互助，可与各地中国学联加强联系沟通。我们也希望他们加强防范、加强保护措施，遇到问题及时通报中国驻英国使领馆。
英方也高度重视有关问题，表示不会容忍任何种族歧视言行，目前有关案件正在依法处理中。根据英方有关部门反馈，一些涉嫌种族歧视者已被逮捕。我在此重申，中国驻英国大使馆坚决反对和强烈谴责此类言行。记者：由于对疫情的担忧和歧视现象的增加，一些在英国学习、工作的中国留学生和侨民打算回国，你对他们有什么建议？你认为他们应该回国还是留在英国？
刘大使：这几天我一直同中国在英留学生讨论这个话题。我们非常理解学生们的关切，他们对英国疫情形势感到担忧：一开始是对英国政府应对举措缺乏信心；近日也担心英国医疗设施和资源不足，可能得不到及时救治；他们也担心遭遇种族歧视。但正如我对他们所讲，英国政府已采取更加严格的疫情防控举措，我们也希望这些举措能收到比较好的效果。我还建议：第一，根据世卫组织的忠告，疫情发生时要尽量减少长途旅行，减少交叉感染；第二，如果决定回国，务必遵守国内的14天隔离、限制出行等防疫规定；第三，对在英学业，要考虑得长远一些。已经快毕业一定要走的学生，我觉得这是一种安排；另外有些学生没有完成学业，将来还要回英国，就一定要跟校方沟通并做好安排，还要注意签证有效期等问题。
这些问题比较复杂，具体情况因人而异。我的建议是：第一，立足就地抗疫，遵从英国政府的防疫指导，加强自我防护；第二，如有疑似症状，保持冷静，联系当地医疗机构，并向中国驻英使领馆寻求协助，我们会与学校、当地政府全力沟通，保护同胞切身利益。
我刚才已谈到如何应对种族歧视，这里不作赘述。这几天在与中国留学生的沟通中，我发现大部分人愿意选择留在英国。如果他们决定留下，中国驻英国使领馆将全力提供协助。我们已启动相关机制，包括向留学生等在英中国公民发布领事提示。英国疫情发生以来，我们已发布20余条相关提示，涉及加强个人防疫与人身安全、遵守英国政府防疫规定、遇到问题如何联系使领馆求助等内容。
记者：让我们谈谈外交。美国总统和他的高级官员将新冠病毒称为“中国病毒”，你如何看？
刘大使：我们坚决反对将中国“污名化”，反对将病毒同特定地域联系在一起，反对将疫情政治化，这违背了世界卫生组织的立场。世界需要的是团结互助，而不是破坏团结。这种说法在政治上是别有用心的，意在诋毁中国为保护本国人民和维护世界卫生安全所做的牺牲和贡献，这对美国也没有任何好处。美国当前的形势并不乐观，疫情一天天在恶化。美国政府应该关注如何防控疫情，为美国人民提供医疗服务，而不是指责别人，到处寻找替罪羊，破坏国际合作。我想这样做最终只会损害美国自身的利益。
记者：你说不将疫情政治化很重要。但中国外交部发言人赵立坚发推特称，新冠病毒可能是美国军人带到武汉的。当你看到你的同事这样说，你是否感到沮丧？这样说有证据吗？中国相信有这种事吗？
刘大使：病毒的来源是个科学问题，应该让科学家和医务人员来研究病毒的来源问题。这个问题很复杂。在科学界有定论之前匆忙下结论无助于解决问题。有报道称，在去年11月，意大利出现了相似的症状，这早于武汉12月出现的疫情。一些人没有国际旅行史，没有与外国人接触过，也被检测出携带病毒。有很多情况，我们包括科学家们还不了解。国际社会应该以理性和科学方式合作，共同抗疫，而非乱贴病毒来源标签，或是相互指责。寻找病毒来源的目的，是为了找到治疗药物。国际社会应该集中精力携手抗疫，而不是责怪他人。
记者：现实情况是，北京与华盛顿之间由新冠病毒引发的敌意与日俱增。你是否担心美中关系特别是第一阶段贸易协议取得的积极成果受到破坏？
刘大使：首先，中方无意在这个问题上与美方做无谓之争。我们想集中精力做好国内的防疫工作。其次，我们愿与其他国家分享防疫经验，为全球安全做出贡献。我们对在这方面与美国进行竞争没有兴趣。但另一方面，中国有句老话，“人不犯我，我不犯人，人若犯我，我必犯人”。我们不想看到谣言满天飞，因此我们需要大声把真相说出来。
尽管如此，我们仍然无意与美国开展竞争。实际上，我们愿与美国合作共同应对新冠疫情。我们邀请美国专家参与国际研讨会，在线讨论，分享经验。中美两国科学家正在合作研究疫苗及药物。我读过一些报道，哈佛大学和其他大学的教授正与中方合作，共同致力于此。
因此，我相信，疫情为各国携手抗疫提供了一个很好的平台，因为我们同属人类命运共同体。
记者：各国可以在疫苗开发方面共同努力。你能否介绍一下中国在疫苗开发方面的最新进展以及中国与包括世界卫生组织在内的国际社会合作的最新情况？
刘大使：是的。我们在疫苗和药物方面与世界卫生组织紧密合作。他们对中国所作贡献表示赞赏。
我刚看到一篇报告，是关于六个研究项目的最新进展，其中有一个是帝国理工学院和中国的大学提交的项目。所以说科研方面正在取得进展。我也看了世卫组织总干事谭德塞关于疫情防控工作进展的声明。它高度评价了中国取得的进展。在破解病毒基因之后的60天，我们已经开始试验疫苗。这一速度非常快。在中国，我们已经有一些志愿者愿意参加疫苗试验。因此，我们正在取得进展。我相信这不仅对中国是个好消息，对国际社会也是一个好消息。记者：疫苗已经接近人体临床试验阶段了吗？
刘大使：是的
记者：你是否知道距离人体临床试验还有多久？几个月？还是几周？
刘大使：现在的消息是，有一些志愿者愿意参加试验。
记者：25年或30年后，当人们回顾这段历史，总结新冠病毒疫情，你认为他们会想到什么？
刘大使：我想多年以后，人们会得出结论，人类生活在相互紧密联系的地球村。世界是如此之小，我们不应该相互争斗，而应该共同努力，建设更美好的未来。只有共同努力，我们的未来才会更加美好。如果我们互相指责，以邻为壑，背道而驰，渐行渐远，那将是世界的灾难。我认为，我们应回到习近平主席提出的构建人类命运共同体的理念，希望越来越多的国家赞成这一理念并为之作出努力，共同为建设人类更美好的未来贡献力量。
记者：我们的采访以正能量圆满结束。刘大使，非常感谢你拿出宝贵时间接受采访。
刘大使：不客气。
采访英文实录：
Ambassador Liu Xiaoming Gives Exclusive Interview on CGTN's Global Business
On 26 March 2020, H.E. Ambassador Liu Xiaoming gave an exclusive interview to CGTN’s Nawied Jabarkyhl on the spread and global response to Covid-19, which was broadcast on CGTN's Global Business. The transcript is as follows:
Nawied Jabarkyhl: Ambassador Liu, thank you very much for joining us. Strange times we’re sitting a few metres apart from each other because of the coronavirus. Let’s start by talking about the UK’s response. It’s ramped up its efforts in recent weeks. We’re seeing a lockdown here as well as unprecedented economic measures from the government. What do you think of the British government’s response so far?
Ambassador: We follow the situation here very closely. Just three days ago, President Xi Jinping had a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Johnson. This is their second telephone conversation in one month. It is very rare.
During their conversation, President Xi expressed our sympathy and support for British people in their fight against the virus. We notice that the pandemic is developing very fast in Europe. And the situation in UK is also bad. We would like to not only show our sympathy and support. We also stand ready to provide assistance, including medical supplies. When the situation in Hubei and Wuhan was very critical, the British side provided two shipments of medical supplies to us. We are very grateful for that. Now it’s our turn to provide most needed medical supplies to the UK.
And also we care very much about the Chinese nationals living in the UK. President Xi said, we attach great importance to the health and safety of Chinese nationals, especially Chinese students in the UK. We have around 220,000 Chinese students studying here, the largest number in Europe and the second in the world. The parents and relatives in China are also very much concerned about the students. I have received a lot of calls from them. I have had two online discussions with the Chinese students in the past three days.
Nawied Jabarkyhl: The UK is preparing for a huge rise in cases in the coming weeks. Given China’s experience -- the two countries' leaders have spoken earlier this week -- has there been an official request for help from China from the British authorities? And will you help if there is one?
Ambassador: Yes, we have multi-fold collaboration between China and UK in this battle against this virus. As I said, our leaders have kept a very intensive, close consultation and communication at the very top level. Also our experts and doctors share experiences. In their telephone conversation, Prime Minister Johnson also spoke highly of China’s effectiveness and speed in controlling this virus, and also said that China’s experience is very valuable, and the UK wants to draw lessons and experience from China.
So we’re ready to share our experience with the UK and also our two countries are working very closely around the clock on drugs and vaccine. British universities like Oxford, Imperial College, Cambridge, are working very closely with their counterparts in China. Chinese companies and British companies are also working very closely. I have met with the global affairs president of GSK. He told me they are working with Clover, a pharmaceutical company in China, on vaccine.
And also internationally, we work very closely. Both China and the UK are countries with global influence. We are permanent members of UN Security Council and important members of G20. The G20 summit is coming today. President Xi is going to attend this online summit. We coordinated with the UK and I think it’s a good opportunity for China and the UK to strengthen our cooperation not only bilaterally but also multilaterally. I think this is really showing the strategic partnership between China and the UK.
Nawied Jabarkyhl: Medical supply is one area that UK is currently short of. Have there been any requests to China to help with things like ventilators or medicine?
Ambassador Liu: Yes, medicine, face masks, ventilators, protection gears and goggles. You know we are ready to supply these medical equipments to UK.
Nawied Jabarkyhl: Do you have a sense of how much or how big the request was?
Ambassador Liu: I do not have the specific number and figure. We are planning to send one or two medical teams to UK. I think they will bring the supplies. They are also ready to have seminars with British counterparts to share their experience and share the information of genetic sequence of the virus, the successful cases of treatment. Chinese experts and doctors are ready to work with their counterparts in the UK.
Nawied Jabarkyhl: That will be sometime in the coming weeks?
Ambassador Liu: I hope it will be very soon.
Nawied Jabarkyhl: Great! Let’s talk about China. Please give us an update of the latest situation in China. In a few days we’ve seen, while there are no new domestic cases, but still some coming into the country. Is it the battle that China has overcome? Or is it too soon to say that?
Ambassador Liu: I think it’s too soon to say that. We have made very important, significant, progress in this battle. But we still have to keep vigilant. We can’t say the battle is over or has been won, because there are still some sporadic, especially imported cases from overseas. So these really pose a challenge. So we are still fighting two battles, one is against the virus, two is to resume normal life of Chinese people, including resuming production and people’s confidence. So I think it’s too early to say we have won the battle. As President Xi has said on many occasions, we are building a community with shared future for mankind. This epidemic really shows us once again that we belong to this community of shared future. The pandemic is worldwide. Now it’s in nearly 200 countries and regions. China cannot become a safe haven. So, on the one hand, we’ll have to still keep vigilant against the imported cases. On the other hand, we have to work with international community, including here in UK.
We are not only helping UK to fight the virus, but also hope UK can strengthen cooperation with us to control the virus from spreading. We do hope UK will strengthen border control. In normal times there are about 168 flights between the two countries in a week. Now in a week there are still 23 flights going back and forth between our two countries. While in UK the virus is spreading, we have the reason to be concerned about imported cases. I read a report that in the past few days, some of the imported cases were from UK to China. So we need to collaborate. We can’t say that the battle is over so we can go back and sleep, though there is some relaxation of control in some of the cities, transportation and communication are resumed, even in Hubei, not in Wuhan yet.
Nawied Jabarkyhl: Have you been surprised by how quickly China has managed to get things under control?
Ambassador Liu: Not at all. As President Xi said on many occasions, the Chinese government gives top priority to the health and safety of the Chinese people. So when this started, the government adopted the most strict, most comprehensive and most swift response to control this virus. This really shows the high sense of responsibility of the Chinese government. I think the reason why we can have the capability to control this disease in such short time is that we have the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China with President Xi Jinping at its core, and we have the advantage of the socialist system by which we can mobilise the whole country to fight against the virus.
And what is more important, we have the Chinese people united. It’s in the DNA of the Chinese people to help others who are in difficulties. As a Chinese saying goes, “When people in one place have difficulties, help comes from eight other places”. In Chinese culture, “eight” means all directions. So the help and assistance come from every direction. During this outbreak, about 40,000 medical workers went to Wuhan and Hubei to help. That’s the secret of the Chinese success in controlling this virus. And many of the medical staff made sacrifices. We call them heroes of our time. And people in Hubei and Wuhan also made big sacrifices. Many of them are carrying out volunteer work to help the elderly and the most vulnerable people. So when we talk about the whole country, it’s not only about the military and the medical staff, but also about the ordinary people. So that’s the most important thing.
I think when we talk about China’s experience, if we want to share it with the British people, is that as I am quite sympathetic with Prime Minister Johnson when he made the television speech, he said the whole country should be mobilised. People should listen to the government, follow its advice and take their own social responsibilities. That’s very important. The Chinese people show a high sense of social responsibility. I wouldn’t say that the British people lack such sense, but they like living freer and more relaxed. They do not like to listen to the government or be controlled by anyone, to say the least by the government. But now you are at a critical moment of your country, so you have to think about no only your freedom, but also the well being of others. So that might be one piece of experience we can share with other countries.
Nawied Jabarkyhl: Last time when I was here you spoke about the reports of racism, xenophobia and attacks against the Chinese community in the UK. How was that proceeding? Are you still receiving reports of xenophobia? How are you combating this? Do you think the UK authorities have taken this issue seriously enough?
Ambassador Liu: Yes. I think generally speaking, the British people are showing sympathy and support for the Chinese people in this battle against the virus. Even the British media are more balanced in reporting relevant developments in China. But there are some individual cases. We have received reports from time to time. Just a few days ago, we received reports from the University of Southampton that some Chinese students were attacked. When we received such reports, we took them very seriously. We brought them up with the British authorities including the police and asked them to take actions to stop this. We are working with the universities, and ask them to give protection to Chinese students and take seriously these complaints about racism. We also ask the Chinese students to seek help from Chinese students volunteer societies. We hope that they can take care of themselves and keep in close touch with the Chinese Embassy.
The British side takes it very seriously. They told us there is no place for such behaviour in the UK, which cannot be tolerated. They are looking into and investigating such incidents. According to reports we have received from the British authorities, some of the suspects have been arrested. I do hope these things would be stopped and certainly should be condemned.
Nawied Jabarkyhl: Just a pickup on that, some Chinese students and expats in the UK are looking to go home now, partly because of the virus fears -- it must be an unsettling time to be away for home -- and also because of the alleged xenophobia and racism. What’s your advice to those people to be clear? Should they stay here or go home?
Ambassador Liu: That’s exactly the subject I discussed with the Chinese students during the past few days. We quite understand that some of them are very concerned. They are concerned about the epidemic here -- at the very beginning, there was lack of resolute response on the part of the government. They are concerned about lack of medical treatment and resources and that they might not be treated in a timely manner. They are concerned about xenophobia and so on. But as I told them, now the British government gears up to fight against this virus, and we do hope that the situation will improve.
My advice to them is: First, you should follow the WHO advice to avoid international travel, so as to avoid cross infection; Second, if you go back to China, you are faced with quarantine regulations -- 14 days and a lot of restrictions on movement; What’s more, you have to think long term about your study. If you are about to graduate, we could understand that you are ready to leave. But if you are just at the beginning or halfway of your study, you really have to think about how to finish your study here. You have to discuss these arrangements with the school authorities. You have to be careful about your visa status. This is very complicated.
The situation varies, and my general advice to them is: First, to stay where you are and follow the government guidance, to protect yourself; Second, if you have some symptoms, get in touch with local doctors, and also let us know. The Embassy will try our best to communicate with the school and the local authorities to take good care of them. And I also talked about what to do about xenophobia?
I think that most students have so far, through my discussion with them, been willing to stay. Some of the parents also ask their children to stay. Once they decide to stay, we will try our best to help them. The Embassy has been mobilised to send out advice to Chinese nationals, especially students. Since the outbreak, we have more than twenty pieces of advice about how to take care of themselves, how to follow the British government’s regulations, how to protect themselves and once they are in difficulties or emergent situation, how to get in touch with us.
Nawied Jabarkyhl: And I want to talk about diplomacy. US President Donald Trump and senior officials in his administration have referred to COVID-19 as “Chinese virus”. What would you say to that?
Ambassador Liu: We totally oppose to stigmatizing China and linking the virus to specific places. This is against the WHO position. We oppose to politicizing the epidemic, when the world now needs solidarity, supporting each other and pooling efforts in fighting the virus rather than undermining the solidarity.
This kind of rhetoric has ulterior political motives. It is trying to ignore the sacrifices China has made not only to protect the Chinese people’s health and safety but also contribute to global public health and security. It also serves American interests no good. We know that the situation in America is not optimistic. It is worsening with each passing day. The American government should focus on how to control the virus and provide medical treatment to its own people rather than blaming others, trying to find scapegoat and undermining cooperation with other countries. It will hurt their own interests.
Nawied Jabarkyhl: You said it is important not to politicize the issue. But Zhao Lijian, the foreign ministry spokesman in China twittered a video suggesting that the coronavirus may have been brought in by the US military. Is it frustrating when you see your colleague doing things like that? Is there any evidence of that? Is that really what Beijing believes?
Ambassador Liu: I think the origin of the virus is really an issue of science. I would leave it to scientists and doctors to study and research on where it comes from. It is very complicated. But I don’t think it serves the purpose to jump into conclusion before the scientists make their voice heard. We read some reports that some cases were found last November in Italy, one month earlier than in Wuhan last December. And also, some people who do not have any international travel experience nor any exposure to foreigners are tested positive. I think there are a lot of unknowns even to the scientists. Instead of labeling someone as the origin, the scientists and international community should work together in a reasonable and scientific way to trace the origin. That is what the international community should focus on, rather than blame each other.
Nawied Jabarkyhl: The reality is that there is growing animosity between Beijing and Washington over the coronavirus. Are you worried that this issue is going to damage US-China relations at a time when things were looking a lot more positive with that phase one trade deal?
Ambassador Liu: We certainly have no interest, no intention, to have this controversy with the United States. First of all, we want to focus on our own battle at home to keep it under control. Number two, we want to share our experience with other countries. We want to contribute to the global security. We have no interest in having this competition with the United States. But on the other hand, in China we often say, we will not attack others but if we are attacked, we certainly will make a counter-attack, because we don’t like lies, rumors or stigmatization. We need to speak out.
But still, we have no interest in competing with the US. As a matter of fact, we would like to cooperate with the US to fight the virus jointly.
When we have these international seminars, online discussions, sharing of experiences, we also invite Americans experts. Chinese scientists are also working with the American scientists on vaccine and drug. I read some reports that professors from Harvard University and other universities are working with their partners in China. So I really believe that this pandemic shows that countries can work together, because we belong to this community with shared future for mankind.
Nawied Jabarkyhl: One area where countries work together is around vaccine development. Can you just tell us the latest with regards to how China's progressing with vaccine development and how you're working with international partners and the WHO in that regard?
Ambassador Liu: We work very closely with the WHO on vaccine and drugs. They appreciate the contribution made by China. I just read the report lately. I can't recall exact the name of the association. They have produced a report about six projects making progress. One of them is a project by Imperial College and Chinese universities. So we are making progress. And also I think I read the statement by Director General Tedros on the progress. He spoke highly of the progress China has made. We started the trials of vaccine 60 days after we found the genetic sequence of the virus. It's very speedy progress. We already have some volunteers in China who want to have it tried on them. So we are making progress. I believe it's not only good news for China. It is also good news for the international community.
Nawied Jabarkyhl: So human trials could be close in Chinese.
Ambassador Liu: Yes, exactly.
Nawied Jabarkyhl: Do you have a sense of how close we are to human trials? Months? Are we talking weeks?
Ambassador Liu: Now I think some volunteers have already offered to have the experiments on their bodies.
Nawied Jabarkyhl: Great. And just lastly to finish off. If we look back at this episode of history in about 25 years’ times or 30 years’ time, what do you think people will be thinking when they sum up this current coronavirus?
Ambassador Liu: If people think back in 20 years’ time, I think they would conclude that we are in this very closely connected village, what we call the global village. And the world is so small that instead of fighting each other, we should work together to build a better future. Only when we work together, the future will be brighter, will be better. If we accuse each other, we undermine each other, we pull in different direction, it will be a disaster for the world.
I think we'll come back to the concept proposed by President Xi that we are committed to building a community with a shared future for mankind. I do hope, as a matter of fact, more and more countries endorse this idea and I do hope that they all have these consensus and work hard and work together to build a better future for mankind.
Nawied Jabarkyhl: An optimistic note to finish on. Ambassador Liu, thank you very much for your time.
Ambassador Liu: My pleasure.
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