After US, China offers India help to fight second wave of COVID

China on Friday offered India help in fighting the coronavirus pandemic. The announcement came amid a second wave of COVID in India. On Friday, India recorded nearly 350,000 new COVID-19 cases and 2,624 deaths, the highest ever single-day spike. 

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian responding to a question on Friday said, “The Chinese government and the Chinese people firmly support the Indian government and people in fighting the pandemic, and are willing to provide support and assistance in accordance with the needs of the Indian side,” South China Morning Post quoted.

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“The Chinese side is maintaining communication with the Indian side on this,” Zhao said. 

As per reports, the Indian government also has not ruled out the possibilities of taking help from China. A report in The Times of India said that the Centre could contact private Chinese companies for medical supplies, including oxygen. 

This comes after months of tension between the two nations over the dispute, which included a deadly clash between the soldier of both sides in June, along the India-China border in eastern Ladakh since April-May last year.

The comment on the offer for help is also the first from China during India’s second COVID-19 wave, which has stretched health infrastructure beyond its limits.

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Meanwhile, the United States declined to lift the export ban on the raw materials that are needed to make vaccines even after India’s request and said it has responsibilities to look after Americans first. However, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki on Friday US is working closely with India to identify ways to help address the current COVID-19 crisis in the country.