Exclusive Interview with Mr. Song Yaoming, Minister-Counselor for Economic and Commercial Affairs at the Chinese Embassy in Japan

People's Daily Online, Tokyo, February 19 (Sun Lu, Li Muhang) Since the end of December 2019, Wuhan City, Hubei Province and other regions of the country have seen cases of novel coronavirus pneumonia in succession. In the face of the novel coronavirus, the Economic and Commercial Office of the Chinese Embassy in Japan (hereinafter referred to as the "Economic and Commercial Office of the Embassy") actively responded to the Party's policies and calls for immediate work. During this period, the embassy's business office quickly and actively guided and deployed Chinese funded institutions and skilled interns in Japan to strengthen epidemic prevention and control and response measures in accordance with the embassy's unified deployment. At the same time, it actively organized Chinese enterprises in Japan to donate money and goods. As of now, Chinese companies in Japan have donated approximately 1.38 million items and 7 million yen. At present, there have been no abnormal situations such as infection among personnel from Chinese funded institutions and over 80000 skilled interns in Japan. Regarding this, People's Daily Online conducted an exclusive interview with Song Yaoming, the Economic and Commercial Envoy of the Chinese Embassy in Japan, in Tokyo.

Actively deploying in five aspects to fully respond to the epidemic

In the face of the current epidemic, Ambassador Song Yaoming highly praised the positive contributions made by Chinese funded institutions in Japan in their rapid actions, as well as the timely dedication of love and support from the Japanese government, local autonomous bodies, friendly groups, and enterprises. Minister Song Yaoming said, "Since the outbreak of the epidemic, under the unified command and deployment of the embassy party committee and Ambassador Kong, the embassy's commercial office has also activated the epidemic response mechanism in the first time. I myself and all the staff of the commercial office actively participated in the relevant work, with clear division of labor and responsibilities, and solidly promoted the epidemic response work from top to bottom." Minister Song Yaoming detailed the rapid response made by the embassy's commercial office in the shortest possible time from five aspects:

1、 Promptly issue epidemic response reminders to Chinese funded institutions and skilled intern dispatch agencies in Japan through various effective means, requesting them to take protective measures and ensure the safety and health of employees. Issued the "Suggestions on Doing a Good Job in the Management of Skilled Students in Japan", guiding the China Enterprise Association in Japan to prepare the "Proposal for Responding to the Epidemic by the Secretariat of the China Enterprise Association in Japan to Member Enterprises", standardizing the epidemic response measures of various Chinese funded institutions in Japan, and publishing relevant epidemic prevention and control suggestions on the sub site of the Business Office. Establish contact hotlines with Chinese funded institutions and organizations related to skilled interns.

2、 Mobilize Chinese funded institutions in Japan to donate funds and materials, and collect and organize information on the procurement of medical supplies. Affected by the epidemic, domestic medical supplies are in short supply. Under the guidance of the Commercial Office of the Embassy, the Chinese Enterprise Association in Japan took the lead in issuing the Action Proposal for the Chinese Enterprise Association in Japan to Support the Motherland and Fight against the novel coronavirus, calling on all Chinese funded institutions in Japan to actively donate money and materials to help the domestic epidemic response. Assist in the rapid delivery of relevant materials and coordinate with domestic departments such as the Red Cross. Proactively contact major Japanese manufacturers of protective equipment, post relevant information on the embassy's business office, and assist domestic departments and enterprises in purchasing in Japan.

3、 Liaise with the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant domestic departments to understand the situation of Japanese government chartered flights carrying rescue supplies to Wuhan, and cooperate with domestic assistance in handling some issues that arise during customs clearance and quarantine procedures.

4、 Maintain hotline contact with government departments such as the Ministry of Economy, Trade, Industry, Agriculture, and Water of Japan, the Japan External Trade Organization, the Japan Association for the Promotion of International Trade, the Japan China Economic Association, the Japan China Investment Promotion Agency, the Japan International Training Cooperation Agency, and foreign skill internship organizations to share epidemic information in a timely manner,

5、 Introduce to Japanese economic groups the Chinese government's policies to strengthen support for foreign-funded enterprise services. Encourage Japanese investment enterprises in China to actively cooperate with local governments, while focusing on epidemic prevention work, and resume production and operation as soon as possible.

Chinese funded institutions in Japan quickly establish channels for material transportation

The support for epidemic prevention and control in the epidemic area is urgent. The Embassy Business Office led the China Enterprise Association in Japan to take prompt action, actively prepare and donate materials, and strive to transport the materials to the domestic and Wuhan front lines in the shortest possible time. Minister Song Yaoming stated that the epidemic is urgent and cannot be delayed. Chinese funded institutions in Japan took immediate action and voluntarily invested in supporting domestic epidemic prevention and control work. After the Chinese Enterprise Association in Japan issued the Action Proposal for the Chinese Enterprise Association in Japan to Support the Motherland and Fight against novel coronavirus, all institutions responded positively, voluntarily gave up the Spring Festival holiday, acted quickly, tried every means, regardless of conditions and remuneration, while looking for goods, while implementing transportation, to open up the "green channel" to the country.

Minister Song Yaoming introduced that in the face of a shortage of medical supplies in the Japanese market, member companies of the association have used their respective channels to make every effort to purchase materials. YSD, a member company, provided strong assistance in finding a centralized source of medical masks. In the context of a large number of passenger flights being suspended by airlines and tight air cargo capacity between China and Japan, logistics and aviation companies such as SF Express and Air China work overtime day and night to transport materials and waive the shipping fees for donated materials.

Minister Song Yaoming sighed and said, "Wang Jiaxun, President of the China Enterprise Association in Japan, together with He Xiaojian, President of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Tokyo Branch, and Jie Luyi, President of the China Construction Bank Tokyo Branch, and other association leaders, specially went to the logistics warehouse to assist in counting and packing, pasting labels, and transporting them onto vehicles. With the joint efforts of member enterprises, on January 31st, the association organized member enterprises to purchase and collect 150000 masks, which were shipped by SF Express Japan and donated to the Wuhan Red Cross Society on February 1st

It is reported that China Machinery Industry Corporation Japan Yanming Co., Ltd., Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Tokyo Branch, Bank of China Tokyo Branch, Hisense Japan Co., Ltd., Japan Hardware and Mineral Co., Ltd., China Everbright Group Tokyo Representative Office, Baohe Trading Co., Ltd., CMEC Japan Co., Ltd., Warm Lamp Co., Ltd., Enterprise Joint Business Cooperation Group, Zhonghui Trading Co., Ltd., China Telecom Japan Co., Ltd., China Youth Travel Service Japan Co., Ltd., Longlai Co., Ltd., JAC Japan Design Center, Xin'an Commercial Co., Ltd., ARN Japan Co., Ltd., Japan China Tax Accounting Contract Society and other units have actively donated to China. Minister Song Yaoming pointed out that in the next step, the Economic and Commercial Office of the Embassy will make its own contribution to the battle against novel coronavirus while doing its own epidemic prevention and control work.

The Japanese government, organizations, and enterprises actively provide support

Minister Song Yaoming stated that China is not alone in the fight against the epidemic. Many friendly countries have also expressed their support for China in various forms, including Japan as a close neighbor. Secretary General Toshihiro Nikai of the Liberal Democratic Party, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, and others have repeatedly expressed their willingness to fully assist China in epidemic prevention and control. Various sectors and people in Japan have actively donated to Wuhan, donated medical supplies, and prayed for China. We express our sincere gratitude for this. The mutual support between China and Japan during this epidemic fully reflects our fine tradition of mutual assistance as an Eastern country. We believe that the friendship between the two peoples will be further deepened as a result. We are willing to learn from each other, leverage our respective strengths, continue to strengthen communication on information, policies, and technology, and jointly safeguard the health and safety of the two peoples as well as regional and global public health security.

Dispelling the haze of the epidemic and welcoming a bright spring together

Minister Song Yaoming stated that since the outbreak of the epidemic, residents in various epidemic areas, especially in Wuhan, are facing enormous challenges. The virus has shown us the unity and extraordinary resilience of the Chinese nation. Everywhere you can see the busy and determined figures of medical workers, police officers, and volunteers. From caring enterprises and individuals to ordinary people, everyone is using their own ways to assist in the fight against the epidemic, making this cold winter full of warmth. We believe that no matter how great the difficulties are, they cannot defeat the heroic people of Wuhan and the heroic people of China. As long as everyone works together, unites and advances in scientific prevention and control, the epidemic will definitely be effectively controlled. Our embassy and Chinese funded institutions in Japan are deeply concerned about our motherland and the epidemic areas. We will do our utmost to support our country and make every effort to win the battle against the epidemic. Towards the end of the interview, Ambassador Song Yaoming told reporters, "We look forward to dispelling the shadow of the epidemic as soon as possible and welcoming a bright spring together

Song Yaoming, the Economic and Commercial Minister of the Chinese Embassy in Japan (third from the left), together with the main members of the second batch of donors of the Chinese Enterprises Association in Japan, cheered for Wuhan and China.

Song Yaoming, the Economic and Commercial Minister of the Chinese Embassy in Japan (left in the picture), and Wang Jiaxun, the president of the Chinese Enterprises Association in Japan (right in the picture), are moving medical supplies.