Illustration: Liu Rui/GT

The Ebola epidemic which unexpectedly broke out in March and continues to rage in West Africa, has not only posed a serious threat to the life and health of peoples of affected countries, but constituted a common challenge of public health to the international community. In the face of such a global crisis, no country is immune, nor can any country cope alone. Only through concerted efforts can the world defeat the disease.

China plays a significant leading role in the global campaign of helping Africa to overcome the crisis. However, China is not fighting alone. It has always been positive and open toward international cooperation on combatting Ebola.

China has actively responded to the calls of the World Health Organization (WHO), the UN and the African Union (AU) to help Africa fight the epidemic. China supports these organizations in playing the role of overall coordination.

Following the outbreak of Ebola, China swiftly donated $10 million to relevant international and regional organizations. It not only supported the establishment of a special UN mission to combat Ebola, but also recommended, at the earliest possible time, a deputy director from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention to participate in the mission's work on the ground and offer intellectual support.

China has actively participated in the regular meeting of the Core Group of Global Ebola Response Coalition, and firmly supported the AU's effort in setting up a center for disease control.

The Chinese government took the lead in responding to the urgent calls of the international community by offering Chinese solutions and contributing Chinese wisdom, which demonstrated the character of a responsible major country.

Chinese health workers on site have been fighting the battle side by side with their counterparts from the international community. Chinese medical teams based in the three Ebola-hit countries stood fast at their posts and continued providing medical services to local people.

Over 200 Chinese healthcare personnel and experts on public health faced up to the danger and devoted themselves to the campaign of helping Africa fight Ebola.

They worked closely with their counterparts from Cuba, South Africa and Western countries, helping each other and sharing without reservation valuable lessons from China's past experience in preventing and controlling major epidemics.

China has decided recently to send more experts and medical staff to affected countries, which will make the total number of Chinese anti-epidemic personnel exceed 1,000.

China works together with major Western countries to help Ebola-hit African countries fight the epidemic. Chinese embassies in the affected countries maintain close communication and coordination with their Western counterparts.

China-US cooperation in Liberia has produced satisfying outcomes. When the Chinese chartered plane loaded with anti-epidemic supplies arrived at the airport in Liberia, the US air troops sent a number of large forklift trucks to help unload the materials. The US side also expressed a willingness to help treat potentially affected Chinese staff locally or provide transferring services.

China and the UK have also conducted several rounds of contact, and reached a consensus on the issue of their medical staff on the ground joining hands to combat Ebola.

Facts have proven that for the common cause of mankind, countries with different national conditions and systems can seek common ground while shelving differences, complement each other, and achieve synergy in international campaign against epidemics.

China's action not only moved the peoples of the Ebola-hit countries, but also won recognition from the international community.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon spoke highly of China's support, and fully acknowledged the role China has played in assisting affected African countries to fight the virus.

WHO Director General Margaret Chan said that the large number of health workers sent by China made important contribution to the global anti-epidemic cause through their courage and hard work.

US President Obama was deeply impressed with China's anti-Ebola efforts. He spoke highly of China's exemplary role in helping Africa to fight Ebola, saying that US-China cooperation in Liberia sent a positive signal to the world.

Diseases are ruthless, but love can cross national boundaries. The African people are our friends and brothers living in the global village of one family. The Chinese people are constantly concerned about the people in epidemic regions.

Together with the international community, we will take substantive actions to support African countries in their fight against Ebola, so as to bring more hope and confidence to their peoples.

Ebola has shown us that in the face of a global challenge, it is only through concerted efforts that countries can achieve synergy and prevail over the epidemic.

The author is an observer of international affairs based in Beijing. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn