A letter of thanks was issued by China’s head of state Xi Jinping to American Bill Gates following emergency funding commitments by the American tech billionaire of up to $100 million.
Earlier this month, Gates said in a letter that his Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation had committed up to $100 million in «emergency funding» much of which targets development in epidemiological research, emergency intervention, and the research and development of drugs, vaccines, and diagnostics.
Last week, Xi issued a letter in response specifically thanking the founder of Microsoft for his coronavirus relief efforts.
«I deeply appreciate the act of generosity of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and your letter of solidarity to the Chinese people at such an important moment,» Xi said, according to a «Bloomberg» report.
Coordination by Proxy?
Of the $100 million, $20 million will reportedly be directed to organizations like the World Health Organization, the US Centers for Disease Control and Protection, the National Health Commission of China and the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention with a focus on agency coordination in the mainland. This is a particularly notable observation after China reportedly rejected help from the CDC and WHO to support relief efforts on the ground.
«Unity and cooperation is the most powerful weapon,» Xi added in the letter, indicating support for the Gates Foundation’s coordination with Chinese agencies on the ground.
