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BRRI donates 1 million surgical masks to Indonesia
Masked diplomacy: Officials pose in front of a shipment of medical supplies worth about Rp 10 billion (US$672
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asked diplomacy: Officials pose in front of a shipment of medical supplies worth about Rp 10 billion (US$672.115) sent by the Belt and Road Research Institute (Shenzhen) for International Cooperation and Development (BRRI) in China. The supplies arrived in Jakarta on Saturday. (Courtesy of BRRI)
Various parties in China are continually sending batches of medical supplies to Indonesia, which is still struggling to lower the rate of COVID-19 infection in the country.
The latest shipment was sent by the Belt and Road Research Institute (Shenzhen) for International Cooperation and Development (BRRI), the Office of the Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister confirmed on Saturday.
The shipment consisted of 1 million surgical masks and 240 infrared thermometers, the BRRI said in a statement received by The Jakarta Post on Saturday.
The supply was initiated by BRRI senior advisers Huang Bo and Michael Goutama and worth some Rp 10 billion (US$672,115), the statement said.
The BRRI claims to be a new type of nongovernmental think tank in China endowed with rich academic resources from universities and other think tanks at home and abroad.
“The BRRI wishes to join hands together with the Indonesian people to fight against the current COVID-19 pandemic through this donation and to enhance the profound friendship between the two countries,” the statement says.
The institute emphasizes that both China and Indonesia have a long history of friendly relations.
The two countries mark the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2020.
In April, Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated China’s commitment to working together with Indonesia to fight the COVID-19 pandemic during a phone call with President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, acknowledging the Southeast Asian country as one of China’s priority nations to engage with.
In a statement issued by the State Secretariat, Xi shared his concerns about the spread of COVID-19 in the archipelago and discussed his country’s experience in addressing the global health crisis. He mentioned his country’s readiness to support Indonesia in its fight against the pandemic.
“We believe that with your perseverance, Indonesia will be able to defeat this [COVID-19] pandemic,” said Xi.
As the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak, China has phased out of the crisis and is ready to cooperate with other countries.
“Indonesia will be one of our priorities [in engaging in such cooperation],” Xi said. “We’re ready to work together with the Indonesian people.”
Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto received on Tuesday the second batch of medical supplies in cooperation with the Chinese National Defense Ministry, the Indonesian Defense Ministry said in a statement.
Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia Xiao Qian handed over the aid to Prabowo at the cargo terminal of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten.
The medical supplies consisted of disposable surgical masks, KN95 respirators, cone-style face masks, medical goggles, disposable medical protective screens, disposable protective jump suits, disposable waterproof isolation gowns, medical boot covers, disposable nitrile gloves, infusion pumps, backpack disinfectant sprayers, infrared forehead thermometers and thermal imaging helmets.
The goods were transported using an Ilyushin Il-76 strategic transport aircraft of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force.
On March 23, an Indonesian Air Force C-130 Hercules transport aircraft took medical supplies from Shanghai to Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base in East Jakarta. (nvn)
