On the occasion of Eid al-Adha, may I extend our cordial greetings and best wishes on behalf of the Chinese government and people, to His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, His Highness the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, His Highness the Deputy Amir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani, the brotherly Qatari people and all Muslim friends in Qatar. Eid al-Adha Mubarak!
The year 2020 is an unusual year. The sudden outbreak of Covid-19 poses great challenges to all countries around the world. Facing this unprecedented disaster, people from all corners of the world stood up against it without fear or fall back, our firm struggles have left an unforgettable page in human history.
Facing the outbreak, the perseverance of the Qatari people has impressed me. His Highness the Amir always put people’s lives as the top priority, and has made a series of wise and decisive orders to contain its spread. The Qatari government responded with swift and scientific measures, medical workers risked their own safety to save others, and 2.8mn Qatari people co-operate with great solidarity, which have all contributed to this remarkable battle to defeat the virus. We are glad to see that after arduous efforts, Qatar has successfully contained the pandemic, the phased lifting up policies are speeding up, the resumption of works and production underway, and people’s lives gradually returning to normal. Qatar, as a pearl of Gulf, has revived with its glory.
Amid the pandemic, the friendship between China and Qatar also impressed me. We will never forget that, when China was at the most difficult time, it is Qatar which extended a helping hand. His Highness the Amir has personally sent support and confidence to President Xi Jinping over phone call. Qatar Airways delivered supplies to China via its global network free of charge, and altogether 300 tonnes of medical supplies were donated to China from the Qatari people.
After Covid-19 hit Qatar, we feel for and stand together with the Qatari people, and did our utmost to return the favour. We have shared our experience in prevention and treatment, and provided convenience for Qatar in urgent purchase of medical supplies from China. Not long ago, Dr Zhong Nanshan, the top expert of Chinese Covid-19 medical team, was invited to a video conference with the Ministry of Public Health, and shared Chinese solutions and wisdom with our Qatari counterparts. We believe that after the pandemic, our strategic partnership will be even more solid, our friendship further deepened, and our co-operation will embrace a brighter future.
Facing the pandemic, our confidence to the future is the most important. The Chinese often say that confidence values more than gold, and the Arabs also say: “Hope is to the nation as the soul is to the body.” As long as we light up our confidence and overcome difficulties with courage and unity, we will eventually defeat Covid-19. At present, the Chinese people are striving forward to realise the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the nation, and the Qatari people are also on the path of a Qatari dream towards “National Vision 2030”.
Recently, the schedule of 2022 FIFA World Cup was released, and several stadiums have completed their construction. I believe that in the process of realising our dreams respectively, China and Qatar will continue to co-operate together, and bring more fruits to bilateral ties and more benefits for our two countries and peoples.
On the occasion of this joyful moment, may I once again send my best wishes. I wish Qatar prosperity, wish Qatari people happiness and peace, wish the friendship between China and Qatar everlasting, and wish all the Muslim brothers in Qatar happy festival.
Chinese ambassador Zhou Jian
