Chinese rescue teams provide free medical services in Mandalay

Several Chinese rescue teams on Friday dispatched medical personnel to provide urgently needed medical aid to locals in Mandalay, one of the hardest-hit areas following the recent devastating earthquake in Myanmar.

Near the historic Mandalay Palace in the city center, where a large number of affected people have relocated to tents, the teams set up free clinics offering four types of medical services: surgery, internal medicine, gynecology, and pediatrics. Chinese medical experts from three rescue teams worked together to diagnose and treat local residents, as hospitals in the city are currently only accepting emergency patients and are unable to accommodate those with general health issues.

To assist with rapid diagnosis, the teams brought portable X-ray machines, handheld ultrasound devices and other medical equipment.

Many disaster victims living in tents near the Grand Palace are elderly people with limited mobility. To help them, the medical teams deployed several mobile units, visiting the tents and offering in-home medical services.

"We've organized experts in cardiology, respiratory medicine, and orthopedics to set up free clinics in areas with high concentrations of disaster victims. Our goal is to bring medical care directly to the frontline and to the people in need," said Lyu Xingfeng, a member of China International Rescue Team.

They will continue to provide free medical services in Mandalay, adapting to local needs, according to team members.

Mandalay, located in central Myanmar, was the hardest hit region after a powerful 7.9-magnitude earthquake struck the country last Friday. As of 20:00 Friday, 3,354 people have been confirmed dead, and 220 people are still missing.

Chinese rescue teams provide free medical services in Mandalay

Chinese rescue teams provide free medical services in Mandalay

The United States' push to revoke China's Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status, or granting the Most Favored Nation (MFN) treatment permanently, is a clear instance of unilateralism and trade protectionism, according to a white paper released by China's State Council Information Office on Wednesday.

The white paper, titled "China's Position on Some Issues Concerning China-US Economic and Trade Relations", aims to clarify the facts about the bilateral economic and trade relations between the two countries and lay out China's position on relevant issues.

The white paper said that the PNTR status is the ballast of China-U.S. economic and trade relations.

The U.S. push to revoke this status violates the rules of the World Trade Organization's (WTO), undermines China-U.S. relations, and disrupts the global economic order, the white paper noted.

According to the white paper, WTO rules require its members to unconditionally grant MFN treatment to all other members, a requirement that has binding legal force.

Over the past two decades, the PNTR has served to stabilize China-U.S. economic and trade relations. Revoking China's PNTR status will see China-U.S. economic and trade relations returning to the uncertainty and unpredictability that preceded China's accession to the WTO in 2001.

China opposes any unilateralist and protectionist acts that sabotage the multilateral trading system and hopes that the U.S. will be clearly aware of the possible harm caused by its attempt to revoke China's MFN status, the white paper said.

The white paper called on the U.S. to work constructively with the overwhelming majority of WTO members in safeguarding a fair and reasonable global economic and trade order and environment.

Rescinding China's most favored nation status undermines foundation of China-US trade relations: white paper