As part of a debt relief program from the Group of 20 nations (G-20), the Chinese government has agreed to postpone debt repayments for low-income countries. The announcement came on June 7, 2020, following an agreement made by the G-20 in April to provide temporary debt relief to the world’s poorest nations. During a press release for a white paper titled “Fighting COVID-19 China in Action,” China’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ma Zhaoxu, said the fund would not only include medical supplies but also support other countries in restarting their economies and development. The white paper reportedly shares China’s experience combatting the virus with the rest of the world.
In addition to the debt relief, China has pledged to provide $2 billion in aid to help countries responding to the effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. China also made a $50 million donation to the World Health Organization (WHO) and agreed to provide assistance to the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization.
Critics of China argue that the move is part of Beijing’s attempt to control the narrative around the country’s handling of the virus, while others have applauded China’s efforts to fight the pandemic on a global scale.
