Foreign news

Peng Liyuan addresses video conference on World TB Day 2022

Published

3 years ago

March 24, 2022

Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping and World Health Organization (WHO) goodwill ambassador for tuberculosis (TB) and HIV/AIDS, attended a video conference for World Tuberculosis Day 2022 on Thursday.

“In recent years, thanks to the hard work of the WHO and the joint efforts of the international community, the world has made notable progress in the fight against TB,” Peng said.

“The Chinese government takes TB prevention and treatment very seriously and has incorporated it into the Healthy China strategy. Special funds have been set up, free follow-up examinations and anti-TB drugs are provided to patients, and more is being done to promote new diagnostic technologies and medicines. As a result, the TB cured rate has been kept above 90 percent,” she said.

Peng noted that the Chinese government and all sectors of society have been actively providing care for TB patients, ensuring that treatment is not affected by the pandemic.

She also shared her experience of being involved in TB prevention and control in the country, as she has visited many medical institutions, schools and communities in the past years.

“In China, more than one million volunteers are working to raise public awareness of TB prevention and treatment and to help and support TB patients,” she said.

March 24 marks the 27th World Tuberculosis Day. As one of the oldest infectious diseases, TB has plagued the world for centuries. Yet despite growing awareness and a stronger resolve to stamp it out, the disease continues to be relentless.

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Foreign news

EU Cautiously optimistic on Syria engagement – Official

Published

1 week ago

January 28, 2025

The Gleamer

Irish foreign minister Simon Harris said on Monday that the European Union (EU) “is cautiously optimistic on Syria engagement” but called for more deeper engagement to strengthen relations with the country.

Harris said this at a news conference held at the EU Headquarters in Brussels, the Belgian capital.
“It’s early days, but I think there are signs of optimism. But it is important that we continue to engage.

“I don’t think it would be a good scenario if any other geopolitical actors and forces engage with Syria and for the European Union not to be in a position to intensively engage with them,“ he said.

In her remarks, Ms. Kaja Kallas, the Vice-President of the EU described Syria’s future as fragile but said that the bloc needed to take the right steps.
“But of course, we need to see the right steps as well. Right now, they’re saying all the right words, and they are doing also the right things.

“Therefore, we have this set step-for-step approach, and if they take the steps, then we are willing to take the steps as well,’’ she said.

On the war in Gaza, Harris said President Donald Trump and his team are very much a party to the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas after the intensive work that was put in.

He conceded that the Trump administration put in a lot of effort to arrive at a ceasefire agreement in the days before his assumption of office for a return to the White House.

“I think that was important and there is no doubt that the intensive work invested by the Trump administration played a very significant role in helping to bring about a ceasefire – a ceasefire that has now seen a cessation of hostilities, the killing, and the bombings.

“Also, that has seen the flow and has seen hostages being released. It’s really important that the ceasefire is in place.

“It is also important, though, to acknowledge in that ceasefire agreement itself, it does talk about people being able to return, and therefore, I think it’s important that we’re consistent in the approach that we take.

“The priority, I think, needs to be on implementing to the letter, the ceasefire agreement.”

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