The spread of Ebola has been occupying the headlines of international news recently. According to data of the World Health Organization on October 25th, there had been 10,141 cases worldwide, with 4,922 people dead, in the most affected countries of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. This has been the largest, widest and most fatal outbreak of Ebola since it was known in 1976. Despite the great input of financial, material and human resources of affected countries and the help of the international community, the epidemic continues to rage and has become a pressing threat for public health around the world and a common non-traditional security challenge for the international community. It is a common responsibility of the whole world to fight the disease.

In this global battle China has felt for the pain of the epidemic-stricken areas and has been on the frontline of assistance. When Ebola first broke in April this year, the Chinese government provided RMB 4 million Yuan of materials to the four countries of Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea-Bissau. On August 7th, China announced the second batch of urgent humanitarian assistance of materials worth of RMB 30 million Yuan, which was delivered using the shortest time possible with chartered planes. On September 18th , during the visit to India, President Xi Jinping announced the third batch of assistance to affected areas and high-risk neighboring countries including cash transfer, food, materials, the set-up of bio-security labs and observation centers worth of RMB 200 million Yuan, together with US$ 2 million of cash assistance to the WHO and the African Union respectively. On October 24th, when meeting with President Kikwete of Tanzania who was on a visit to China, President Xi Jinping announced the fourth batch of urgent assistance, including another RMB 500 million Yuan worth of urgent materials and cash transfer to the three countries of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea and relevant international organizations. China would also send more epidemic-prevention experts and medical staff and help Liberia build and operate a treatment center.

It is worth mentioning that in addition to material and cash assistance, China has provided precious human resources which are more urgently needed--Chinese medical teams and public health experts were sent to the frontline. Facing the raging epidemic, they did not run away. Instead, they chose to stick together with the African people to tide over the difficulties. Currently, there are 200 medical staff participating in epidemic prevention and relief. Behind them there is the more grand picture of China's sending over 20000 medical staff to Africa over the past half a century, who have saved and treated hundreds and millions of lives in 51 countries and regions, demonstrating with their perseverance and sacrifice that love is without boundaries.

Facing this unprecedented challenge, China has taken the initiative to provide assistance. China, as a responsible power, has demonstrated the concept on China-Africa cooperation featuring "sincerity, real results, affinity and trust-worthiness" through its real action and fast response to the call of the UN, the WHO and the African Union in active cooperation with the international community. China's leading action and timely assistance have played a guiding and demonstrating role, which has encouraged the attention and contribution by the international community, winning sincere gratitude and high acclaim as well as recognition in the international community.

A friend in need is a friend indeed. Just as foreign minister Wang Yi said on the high-level meeting on Ebola at the UN, "Epidemics are callous, but human beings are compassionate. The Chinese people always stand together with the African people. In front of natural and human disasters, no one is an island to stand immune. Mankind shares a common destiny. Helping others is helping oneself. In this fight against Ebola, China has demonstrated internationalism through its real action and the traditional friendship between China and Africa who have stuck together through thick and thin.