China News Agency, Beijing, March 4th, topic: Overseas Chinese group takes in compatriots in Ukraine: love is passed like a snowball
China News Agency reporter Xu Wenxin
According to data released by the Polish Border Guard on March 3, since the conflict between Russia and Ukraine on February 24, about 575,100 people have entered Poland from Ukraine, many of whom are overseas Chinese and Chinese students.
Many overseas compatriots have settled down, and behind this, the enthusiastic help of the local overseas Chinese is inseparable.
Waiting to pick up the compatriots in Ukrainian
At 9:00 a.m. local time on March 1, Zhao Dejin, executive director of the European Federation of Overseas Chinese Associations and director of the Poland office, set off from home to buy towels, toothbrushes, shower gels, masks and other daily necessities, and then contacted the hotel in Warsaw. , place the purchased materials and prepare to go.
At 4 p.m., Zhao Dejin arrived on time at the border between Poland and Ukraine, which is more than 360 kilometers away from Warsaw, waiting for Chinese students entering the country.
Zhao Dejin said: "We received 5 Chinese students on the 1st. They walked in a hurry and came with a schoolbag. After 9 o'clock in the evening, I took them to the hotel I contacted in advance."
On March 2, Zhao Dejin repeated the trip of the previous day and picked up more than 10 compatriots with his friends.
At 10 o'clock in the evening, Zhao Dejin received help again. The three compatriots hitchhiked to Warsaw by good-hearted people. He went out again to buy towels, toothbrushes, shower gel, milk... and put them in the hotel.
According to Zhao Dejin, "In the past two days, we have received 32 compatriots, 15 are Chinese students, 17 are overseas Chinese, including two elderly people and three children."
The resettlement expenses of these compatriots were raised spontaneously by Zhao Dejin and his friends.
He said: "My own living expenses can be saved a little, but it cannot be saved in this matter. Since they have received it, they must be allowed to go home. They can just go for a walk in peace. Just sleep."
Long queue at immigration
Zhao Dejin said that the compatriots he received recently took a long time to enter Poland, and some queued for more than 20 hours. They stood in line at the entry point at night, cold and hungry, and it was very hard.
"In the past few days, the weather has been sunny but the temperature is low. During the day it is about minus 6 (Celsius) degrees, and the temperature will be lower at night. On the morning of the 3rd, an international student asked me for help. This boy has no strength to speak. He I waited in line at the border for more than ten hours. There were also girls who were crying and queuing. I received calls from 6 girls who cried very sadly on the phone and waited at the immigration for 20 years. Many hours." Zhao Dejin said.
According to reports, at every entry point on the Polish-Ukrainian border, there are tens of thousands of refugees from Ukraine, queuing for dozens of kilometers.
A record number of more than 100,000 people entered Poland on February 28 and 98,000 on March 1.
Snowballing love delivery
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin revealed at a regular press conference on March 3 that more than 3,000 Chinese citizens in Ukraine have been safely transferred to neighboring countries of Ukraine.
Behind these figures are heart-warming stories of overseas Chinese people uniting and helping each other.
As one of the earliest advocates to help overseas Chinese and students studying in Uzbekistan, Cao Yanling, chairman of the European Federation of Overseas Chinese Associations, said: "After the proposal was launched, overseas Chinese leaders from various places took the initiative to contact the European Chinese Association and asked to join the team of helping compatriots."
Cao Yanling said that there are more and more overseas Chinese organizations joining the help team, and everyone's love is spreading like a snowball. It is impossible to count how many overseas Chinese have been helped.
"As long as you are Chinese, as long as you have a Chinese passport, we will do our best to help." In Cao Yanling's view, this is what should be done.
"Every time my compatriots have difficulties overseas, or when the country needs us overseas Chinese to do something, I will stand up at the first time." (End)