China will Send more than 2 Million EU Protective Masks

China will send more than 2 million protective masks to the European Union after Europe becomes the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic. This was announced today by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Layen, quoted by France's press.

Chinese Prime Minister Li Kutsian told Von der Lien in a phone call about sending medical supplies, she announced on Twitter.

"China has not forgotten that in January when China was the centre of the virus outbreak the European Union helped," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a video message on Twitter, recalling that the EU donated 50 tonnes of protective equipment that month.

"Today we are the centre of the coronavirus pandemic and we need protective equipment ourselves. We are ranking up our production ... but this needs several weeks and in the meantime we are grateful for support from China", Von der Leyen said.

Delivery of medical supplies is expected soon and includes 2 million surgical masks, 200,000 type 95 masks (also protective) and 50,000 coronavirus detection tests.

"We are improving our production, re-adjusting our production lines, but this requires several weeks. In the meantime, we are grateful for the assistance received from China," the EC president said.

Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba has sent protective masks to France and Italy to help them cope with the spread of the coronavirus.

Appearing in China in December 19, it has already claimed the lives of 8,000 people worldwide, for the first time today the death toll from contagion in Europe exceeds those in Asia.

With 684 new deaths recorded last day and a total of 78,766 infected, Europe has become the continent where the pandemic is spreading the fastest, AFP notes.

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