Suriname is ready to work with China to carry forward the longstanding friendship between the two countries and deepen strategic partnerships in regional arenas, according to President of the Republic of Suriname Chandrikapersad Santokhi.
In an exclusive interview with China Central Television during his visit to China from April 11 to 17, the Latin American and Caribbean head of state shared that through his previous visits to the country in both 2008 and 2011, the two countries deepened legal cooperation and enhanced exchanges and mutual learning.
Now, Suriname hopes to expand that cooperation to international organizations like the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).
"We agreed as two presidents that we should bring our cooperation to a higher level, that we should expand our cooperation to new areas. But moreover, we shouldn't deal only with bilateral issues, but that we should discuss also regional issues, the cooperation between China and CARICOM (Caribbean Community), cooperation between China and the Latin American society, the CELAC, but also to support each other on global issues," he explained.
The president also highlighted that his country is willing to deepen friendly exchanges with China and learn from the Chinese modernization experience.
"China is a big nation. Suriname is a small nation. You can differ in size and population, but we share the same values, we share the same views on how to preserve the planet. We share the same views how we can deliver a contribution to get that peace, solidarity and prosperity for mankind. And those things are also very important because it starts with sharing the few. And if we are in agreement, then we are taking the next step in taking actions. I'm going back to Suriname with that view of a great leader. We had that formal meeting, where we agreed on several areas to strengthen the cooperation," he continued.
Suriname hopes to expand regional cooperation with China: Surinamese president
The National Health Commission (NHC) of China has cautioned that China has entered the dengue fever epidemic season, with the peak period forecast from August to October.
Public health departments in China, like the NHC and the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration of China, have been vigilant against the global situation of dengue fever this year.
Dengue fever mostly occurs in tropical and subtropical regions around the world, with the most serious prevalence in regions like Southeast Asia, the western Pacific and the Americas.
The dengue fever epidemic in China has mainly been a locally transmitted one caused by imported cases, and is mostly distributed in provinces and regions like Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Fujian, Yunnan and other coastal or border areas.
"In Latin American and South Asian countries, the dengue fever has shown a rapid growth trend since the beginning of the year, which gave us a reminder. According to our monitoring, and also due to climate change, the mosquito can fly further north than before. So the prevention and control of dengue fever this year should be made earlier and in wider scope," said Liang Xiaofeng, chairman of the Chinese Pest Control Association.
According to the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration of China, dengue fever is only transmitted through the bite of aedine mosquitoes, and the main vectors of dengue fever in China are Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti.
In China, the high incidence season of dengue fever in most areas is summer and autumn, that is, August to September. In some parts of provinces like Hainan, Guangdong, Guangxi, and Yunnan where the climate is warmer, the dengue fever season usually lasts from May to November.
"Where there is water, there are mosquitoes, because mosquitoes find waters to lay their eggs. The so-called 'mosquito control' actually means controlling and removing stagnant water. For ordinary people, they need to pay attention to water in small areas in the entire summer, and people should clear away the standing water in their yards, homes, and the surrounding environment," said Leng Pei'en, deputy chairman of the expert committee of the Chinese Pest Control Association.
China enters dengue fever epidemic season: expert
