Mexico appreciates China's cooperation in fighting COVID-19

MEXICO CITY, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- Mexico's Foreign Ministry highlighted the importance of China's cooperation in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic in a book presented Monday on Mexico's international strategy to manage the health crisis.

"Even amid the global shortages sparked by the pandemic, the strength of the relationship between the two countries was key to accessing specialized supplies," said the book titled "Mexico's International Strategy in the COVID-19 Pandemic, March 2020-September 2021," referring to the air bridge between the two countries from April to July 2020 as "the main source of health protective equipment from abroad."

Thanks to the air bridge, 25 flights from China arrived in Mexico, providing the healthcare system with millions of medical supplies to "properly attend to the sick," according to the book, describing the initiative as a special chapter in bilateral ties.

"China gave us access to numerous supplies to combat the pandemic and ensured that there was an air bridge between the two countries, so that we could have access to masks and other health supplies, as well as important equipment such as ventilators," Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said during the presentation of the book.

The book describes the cooperation of China and other countries with Mexico as a result of the "effective multilateralism" strategy implemented by the current Mexican administration to respond to common international challenges.

This strategy has allowed Mexico to promote approval of guidelines and proposals for a self-sufficient healthcare plan in Latin America and the Caribbean, Ebrard said.