Interview: World expects solid cooperation in fighting COVID-19, says former Indonesian official

The world needs stronger cooperation in the face of the pandemic, a former Indonesian ambassador to the United States told Xinhua in a recent interview.

"Faced with the pandemic, the world needs stronger cooperation, particularly the cooperation between China and (the) U.S.," said Dino Patti Djalal, founder of the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia and former deputy foreign minister of Indonesia.

Dino said that China and the United States have strong medical capabilities, and the whole world is expecting their close cooperation in fighting COVID-19.

The global COVID-19 caseload breached the 1.2 million mark on Friday, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. At present, COVID-19 has engulfed almost all countries in the world, with the United States and Europe being hit hard by the spread of the virus.

Dino appreciated China's contributions to the world in battling the pandemic and defined China as "a more reliable partner."

He was puzzled by some critics questioning China's aid, saying "the only reason why they criticize China is that the aid comes from China, but not from them."

"They always hold double standards and have prejudices against China," said Dino, saying people who provide help "should be appreciated."

China's strict and effective prevention and control measures in the past three months have made great achievements, Dino said, and China has been providing support to other countries suffering from the virus.

The pandemic is a big test for global solidarity, he said, calling on the international community to work together to fight it.

He also emphasized the importance of the World Health Organization (WHO) in this global battle.

"The world looks forward to receiving help from (the) WHO, especially the vast majority of developing countries," Dino said.

The number of total confirmed COVID-19 cases has reached 2,273 in Indonesia, the largest economy in Southeast Asia and the fourth most populous country in the world, while the death toll from the disease climbed to 198, according to the government's spokesperson for COVID-19-related matters Achmad Yurianto.

Dino is worried that Indonesia would become the next COVID-19 hotspot of the world, suggesting that Indonesia should acquire medical technologies and gain experience from China in dealing with the virus.

(by Xinhua writer Liang Hui)