(Two Sessions Express) Wang Yi: Strive to vaccinate overseas compatriots, and promote international travel health certificates
China News Agency, Beijing, March 7 (Reporter Xing Chong) At the press conference of the Fourth Session of the 13th National People’s Congress held on the 7th, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi introduced the Ministry of Foreign Affairs when answering questions from a reporter from China News Agency. New measures to help overseas Chinese citizens fight the epidemic.
The first is to launch the "Spring Seed Operation" to actively assist and strive to vaccinate overseas compatriots with domestic or foreign vaccines.
Wang Yi said that more than 50 countries are gradually including Chinese citizens in their national vaccination plans, and many Chinese citizens are receiving Chinese vaccines in accordance with the law.
In the next step, China is also preparing to set up regional vaccination sites for domestically produced vaccines in countries where conditions permit, to provide services to compatriots in neighbouring countries in need.
The second is to introduce international travel health certificates.
Wang Yi stated that he implemented the International Mutual Recognition Initiative of Health Codes proposed by Chairman Jin Ping, and launched the Chinese version of the international travel health certificate electronic document. Under the premise of fully protecting personal privacy, mutual verification of information such as nucleic acid testing and vaccination will be achieved to help safety and security. Orderly exchange of people.
The third is to fully realize the "cloud service" of overseas consulates.
Wang Yi said that the "Chinese Consulate APP" will be launched in May, allowing overseas compatriots to directly access the embassies and consulates abroad with one click, realizing "handheld office", "zero errands" and "all-weather" online processing of overseas Chinese citizens' travel documents and consular insurance service.
Wang Yi said that last year, it was really not easy for our compatriots overseas.
The sudden outbreak of the epidemic blocked the way home for the wanderers and threatened the lives and health of compatriots.
"I want to extend my sincere condolences to all overseas compatriots." He said that there must be great love in the face of a disaster.
The party and government have always cared about the safety and health of every overseas compatriot.
Looking back on the special consular protection operations carried out by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and embassies and consulates abroad in the past year, Wang Yi said that we went to the epidemic area and distributed "health packs" to more than 5 million overseas Chinese in more than 100 countries. "Spring Festival Package" organized timely local treatment for all compatriots who were unfortunately infected with the epidemic.
The 12308 hotline is on duty 24 hours a day, handling about 3,000 requests for help from compatriots every day, nearly three times more than in previous years.
We urgently handled a number of major consular protection cases, including evacuation of Chinese citizens trapped in the Ethiopian war zone, rescue of compatriots abducted by pirates, and so on.
"We use actions to tell our compatriots overseas: Diplomacy for the people, no one is necessary; the epidemic will not retreat, and diplomats will not retreat." He said.
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