Czech Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Jan Hamacek (3rd L) speaks at the Prague Airport in the Czech Republic, March 20, 2020. A China Eastern airlines plane carrying 1.1 million respirators which the Czech Republic had purchased from China arrived at the Prague Airport on Friday. It was the second batch of medical supplies procured from China after a Czech military plane brought home 150,000 rapid COVID-19 testers from China on Wednesday. The Czech Republic, like many other European countries, has been hit by the COVID-19 outbreak over the past three weeks. As of Friday noon, the country has confirmed 774 cases of infection. (Xinhua/Yang Xiaohong)
PRAGUE, March 20 (Xinhua) -- A China Eastern Airline plane carrying 1.1 million respirators which the Czech Republic had purchased from China arrived at the Prague Airport on Friday.
It was the second batch of medical supplies procured from China after a Czech military plane brought home 150,000 rapid COVID-19 testers from China on Wednesday.
"There will be many more flights ahead of us. We have built an air bridge," said Interior Minister Jan Hamacek at the airport.
Hamacek said this batch is just the start, and medical supplies might arrive from China three times a week in the next few weeks.
He noted that protective equipment and supplies from China would greatly help the Czech Republic ease its severe shortage.
At the airport, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis and Hamacek thanked China for its support in bringing the supplies to the Czech Republic.
Chinese Ambassador to the Czech Republic Zhang Jianmin was also at the airport. He stressed in his speech that countries around the world should work together in fighting the virus.
"COVID-19 is a challenge to all countries, and we shoulder common responsibilities in fighting the virus. China has received help from the Czech Republic during the outbreak. We feel the pain for the Czech people, especially the medical professionals, caused by shortage of protective supplies," said the ambassador.
Respirators delivered on Friday are in protective class FFP2, according to Hamacek. "These are the most used and most needed," said the minister, adding that he would discuss with the regional governors about how to redistribute the supplies later in the day.
Qiu Jie, General Manager of Regional Office of the China Eastern Airline, said that the airline had previously stopped the direct flight because of the COVID-19 outbreak, adding "The reopening of the air route is a special arrangement made to bring the most needed medical equipment to the most needed countries."
On the coming Saturday, the airline will bring another batch of 180 cubic meters of medical equipment to the Czech Republic, Qiu said.
The Czech Republic, like many other European countries, has been hit by the COVID-19 outbreak over the past three weeks. As of Friday noon, the country has confirmed 774 cases of infection.
