Foreigners from various countries living in Jinhua, East China's Zhejiang province, have been fighting on the frontlines in the battle against COVID-19 by participating in volunteer work.
For example, Yemeni surgeon Ammar, who speaks Chinese, Arabic and English, recorded pandemic prevention videos and spread them on online platforms. He said he hoped foreigners would follow pandemic prevention rules and refrain from gatherings.
Ahmad Raza from Pakistan has been doing business in Yiwu for 10 years. Since the onset of the pandemic, he has been taking an active part in volunteer services such as serving as a guard at pandemic prevention service points and promoting pandemic prevention policies.
To help South Koreans in Yiwu understand the city's pandemic prevention and control policies, Zhao Liangxiang from South Korea translated notices issued by the COVID-19 prevention and control headquarters of Yiwu into Korean and delivered them for free.
Jordanian merchant Muhamnaid, who has been living in Yiwu for more than 20 years, said, "Yiwu is my home. I will protect it and do as much as I can. Please don't call me laowai when I'm helping fight against the pandemic." He provided supplies like instant noodles, milk and drinks at service points at the entrances and exits of Yiwu expressways and the Yiwu exit-entry frontier inspection station.
Yulian (R2) from Ukraine takes temperatures of residents at the entrance of Changchun community in Futian subdistrict, Yiwu on Feb 7, 2020. [Photo/Qian Xusheng]
Bi Xunu (R2) from Nepal registers the information of foreign businessmen for epidemic prevention and control on Jun 6, 2020. [Photo/Qian Xusheng]
Dozens of foreign businessmen from Mali and Kenya participate in voluntary blood donations to relieve the blood shortage during the pandemic on Nov 3, 2021. [Photo/Qian Xusheng]
A Jordanian businessman (R1) comes to the Yiwu exit-entry frontier inspection station to deliver food such as instant noodles and milk on Dec 24, 2021. [Photo/Qian Xusheng]
Yemeni surgeon Ammar records a video calling on foreigners to follow pandemic prevention rules and refrain from gatherings on Dec 28, 2021. [Photo/Qian Xusheng]
Zhao Liangxiang from South Korea reads a Korean version of the notice issued by the COVID-19 prevention and control headquarters of Yiwu with his South Korean friends on Dec 29, 2021. [Photo/Qian Xusheng]
Ahmad Raza from Pakistan provides volunteer services for foreigners preparing for COVID-19 vaccination at the community health service center of Jiangdong subdistrict in Yiwu on Dec 30, 2021. [Photo/Qian Xusheng]
Qian Xusheng contributed to the story.
