QINGDAO, June 12 (Xinhua) -- China has been playing an important role in the global humanitarian response and is willing to do more, said Elhadj As Sy, secretary general of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
Sy made the remarks while attending the Global Health Forum (GHF) of Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) held in the eastern Chinese city of Qingdao.
On behalf of the IFRC, Sy signed a memorandum of understanding with the Boao Forum Tuesday, specifying a shared commitment to ensuring the health and well-being of people in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as indicating profound cooperation between the IFRC and China in terms of community health all over the world.
"Now we have the community-based approach to health," said Sy, adding that China has the ability to assist such a project. "Both at bilateral and multilateral levels, China has been contributing more in the last few decades."
He said China is supporting blood safety in Pakistan, treating children's heart diseases in Afghanistan, deploying field and mobile hospitals in Syria and Iraq as well as carrying out disaster management in Mongolia. "These efforts are valuable and should be encouraged," said Sy.
With a sound organizational structure, China's Red Cross societies at various levels have handled disasters and disease emergencies efficiently, which is quite necessary for international humanitarian response, he said.
The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) proposed by China also contributes to the humanitarian support and international Red Cross movement. "It is not only about infrastructure and trade but also about the humanitarian aspect," said Sy.
The BRI has been spreading China's innovations and technologies to the rest of the world, including drones delivering life-saving stocks, use of telemedicine and verbal guidance during complicated surgeries, which are of great help in humanitarian support, according to Sy.
China's capacity in the Red Cross movement and humanitarian response will make a difference, Sy said.
