Ambassador Randt's Remarks at the Donation Ceremony for SARS Disaster Relief

Ambassador Clark T. Randt, Jr.
Ambassador of the United States of America to China

Yi Ban
May 8, 2003, 3:30 P.M.

THANK YOU LLOYD. EXECUTIVE VICE CHAIRMAN WANG, DIRECTOR GENERAL LIU, DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, AND FRIENDS FROM THE PRESS.

SIX MONTHS AGO, SARS DID NOT EXIST AS A RECOGNIZED DISEASE. TODAY, HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD HAVE DIED FROM SARS, THOUSANDS MORE ARE SUFFERING FROM ITS EFFECTS, AND THE PREVENTION, CONTROL AND TREATMENT OF SARS HAVE BECOME ISSUES THAT REQUIRE GLOBAL COORDINATION AND VIGILANCE. THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ARE GREATLY CONCERNED ABOUT SARS AND CARE DEEPLY ABOUT THE CHINESE CITIZENS AND OTHERS WHO HAVE FALLEN VICTIM TO THIS NEW AND STILL INADEQUATELY UNDERSTOOD DISEASE. I, ON BEHALF OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT, EXTEND OUR HEARTFELT SYMPATHY TO THE FAMILIES AND LOVED ONES OF CHINA’S SARS VICTIMS, ESPECIALLY THOSE HEALTH WORKERS ON THE FRONT LINES WHOSE COMMITMENT TO HELPING THE SICK PUTS THEM DIRECTLY IN HARM’S WAY. JUST AS CONTROLLING HIV/AIDS HAS REQUIRED A ROBUST AND COOPERATIVE INTERNATIONAL EFFORT, SO TOO WILL OUR ABILITY TO CONTROL SARS.

I APPLAUD CHINA’S RECENT EFFORTS TO MORE OPENLY SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT SARS AND URGE CHINA TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND ITS LEVEL OF COOPERATION AND INFORMATION EXCHANGE BOTH DOMESTICALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY.

CHINA AND THE UNITED STATES HAVE ALREADY BEEN WORKING CLOSELY ON SARS. IN THIS REGARD, I AM PLEASE TO BE ABLE TO ANNOUNCE TODAY A SUBSTANTIAL PACKAGE OF FINANCIAL, MATERIAL AND EXPERT ASSISTANCE THAT THE UNITED STATES HAS GIVEN, AND WILL CONTINUE TO GIVE, TO CHINA AND THE CHINESE PEOPLE TO HELP THEM THROUGH THIS CHALLENGING CRISIS.

THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR IN THE FIGHT AGAINST SARS IS NOT MEDICINE OR MASKS OR DISINFECTANT; IT IS INFORMATION. THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, THE UNITED STATES CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION, AND PRIVATE AMERICAN UNIVERSITIES AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY AMONG OTHERS ARE ALL PLAYING A VITAL ROLE IN OUR COLLECTIVE EFFORTS TO FULLY UNDERSTAND, CONTROL AND ULTIMATELY TO PREVENT THIS TERRIBLE NEW THREAT. AMERICAN COMPANIES ARE ALSO HELPING OUT. ALREADY, TEN AMERICAN COMPANIES IN CHINA HAVE DONATED OVER $1 MILLION U.S. DOLLARS IN CASH OR IN KIND SUCH AS MASKS AND DISINFECTANT TO ASSIST CHINA IN THE FIGHT AGAINST SARS.

AS DIRECTED BY PRESIDENT BUSH, THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT, IS CLOSELY MONITORING THE EVOLVING SARS SITUATION. PRESIDENT BUSH ALSO COMMITTED TO PRESIDENT HU, DURING HIS APRIL 26TH TELEPHONE CALL TO PRESIDENT HU, THAT THE UNITED STATES WILL PROVIDE THE NECESSARY RESOURCES TO HELP CHINA MEET THIS URGENT PUBLIC HEALTH THREAT. ALSO, AT THE REQUEST OF PRESIDENT BUSH, THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES HAS PREPARED A PRESIDENTIAL INITIATIVE TO ENHANCE COLLABORATION WITH CHINA THAT STRENGTHENS FUNDAMENTAL PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURES AND IMPROVES CHINA'S CAPACITY TO MANAGE NOT ONLY SARS, BUT ALSO OTHER KILLER DISEASES, SUCH AS HEPATITIS, HIV/AIDS, TUBERCULOSIS AND CANCER. THE DETAILS OF THIS MULTI-YEAR, MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR PROGRAM ARE NOW BEING WORKED OUT, BUT PROVISIONALLY, THE UNITED STATES PROGRAM WOULD ASSIGN HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICE ADVISORS TO CHINA’S MINISTRY OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND PROVIDE OTHER ESSENTIAL SUPPORT TO EXPAND CHINA'S HUMAN RESOURCE CAPACITY IN EPIDEMIOLOGY, LABORATORY, DISEASE SURVEILLANCE, AND RELATED INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY. ON MAY 6, UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES TOMMY THOMPSON TELEPHONED VICE PREMIER WU YI TO DISCUSS INCREASED COLLABORATION WITH CHINA ON IMPROVING THE DETECTION AND MANAGEMENT OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES. THESE EFFORTS WILL INCLUDE EXPANDED EPIDEMIOLOGICAL TRAINING AND STEPS TO DEVELOP GREATER LABORATORY CAPACITY IN CHINA. THE COLLECTIVE EXPERTISE OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM IS A VALUABLE COMPONENT OF OUR ARSENAL FOR COMBATTING SARS.

THE UNITED STATES FREELY OFFERS THIS ASSISTANCE TO OUR CHINESE FRIENDS AS PART OF OUR COMMON FIGHT AGAINST THIS INVISIBLE BUT DEADLY ENEMY. OF COURSE, THERE ARE ALSO IMMENSE AND IMMEDIATE NEEDS FOR SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT FOR CHINA’S VALIANT FRONT-LINE HEALTH WORKERS. TODAY, WHICH HAPPENS TO BE "WORLD RED CROSS RED CRESCENT DAY", I HAVE THE GREAT HONOR, ON BEHALF OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, TO PRESENT TO EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT WANG LIZHONG OF THE RED CROSS SOCIETY OF CHINA A DONATION OF 500,000 U.S. DOLLARS FOR THE PEOPLE OF CHINA TO PURCHASE AND DISTRIBUTE PROTECTIVE MEDICAL SUPPLIES SUCH AS GOWNS, MASKS, GOGGLES AND THERMOMETERS TO HELP MEET THESE IMMEDIATE HEALTH CARE NEEDS. (HAND OVER ENVELOPE/PHOTO OP)

NOW, I AM PLEASED TO ASK EXECUTIVE VICE CHAIRMAN WANG TO MAKE A FEW REMARKS ON BEHALF OF THE RED CROSS SOCIETY OF CHINA. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.