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 constitute a common challenge of public health to the international community. In the face of such a global crisis, no country is immune, nor could any country cope alone. Only through concerted efforts can the world defeat the disease and tide over the current difficulty. It is the calling of the times for countries to strengthen coordination and to augment each other, which is the only way for the international community to ultimately prevail over the epidemic.

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

China has actively responded to the calls of the WHO, UN and AU to help Africa fight the epidemic, and supports these organizations in playing the role of overall coordination. Following the outbreak of Ebola, China swiftly donated US$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 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 supports 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 China solutions and contributing China 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 the 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 exceeding 1000.

China works together with major Western countries to help Ebola-hit African countries fight the epidemic, achieving sound interaction with one another. Chinese embassies in the affected countries maintain close communication and coordination with their western counterparts. China-US trilateral cooperation in Liberia has produced satisfying outcomes. The Liberian engineer company which received training from China played an important role in the construction of a US Ebola Treatment Center there. 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 forklifts to help unload the materials. The American side also expressed the willingness to help treat the potentially affected Chinese staff locally or provide transferring services. When French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius visited China, the two Foreign Ministers issued a joint news bulletin on China-France cooperation to help Africa fight Ebola, elaborating on the direction, approach and measures for the next step. China and the UK have also conducted several rounds of contact and reached 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. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon spoke highly of China’s support to the work of the UN, and fully acknowledged the role China has played in assisting affected African countries to fight the virus. Director General Margaret Chan of the WHO 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 and that other countries should also step up efforts in helping African countries combat the epidemic.

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 shall take substantive actions to support African countries in their fight against Ebola, so as to bring more hope and confidence to their peoples. When one is in difficulty, others should reach out their hands. Ebola has told 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.