The 30 Chinese medical teams to the Republic of the Congo have helped foster a deep friendship between the two countries, said President of the Republic of the Congo Denis Sassou Nguesso in an interview aired on Friday evening.
Sassou Nguesso made the statement in the interview with China Media Group (CMG) in early September while he was in Beijing for a state visit and attending the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).
Since 1967, China has sent 964 doctors in 30 batches to the Republic of the Congo. Chinese doctors have treated about 5 million patients and performed about 150,000 operations in the country.
Targeting the high incidence of ophthalmic diseases due to strong sunlight in the Republic of the Congo, the China-Republic of Congo Friendship Hospital, inaugurated in 2013, set a special center on treatment of such diseases.
"We are planning further development of the China-Republic of Congo Friendship Hospital, which was jointly inaugurated by President Xi Jinping and myself in Brazzaville. The hospital is expected to introduce more modern medical technologies in the future. People in the Republic of the Congo hold great confidence in Chinese doctors, and this trust was developed not only from (the friendship hospital) in Brazzaville, but also in other areas in the country. Chinese doctors have been taking care of our people, during which they have built a harmonious relationship," said Sassou Nguesso.
Chinese medical teams in Republic of Congo help foster deep friendship: president
U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday he will extend the two-week ceasefire with Iran that was set to expire on Wednesday night (midnight GMT Tuesday).
"Based on the fact that the Government of Iran is seriously fractured, not unexpectedly so and, upon the request of Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, of Pakistan, we have been asked to hold our Attack on the Country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The U.S. president said he will "extend the ceasefire until such time as their proposal is submitted, and discussions are concluded, one way or the other."
The U.S. military will continue the blockade against Iran and "remain ready and able," according to Trump.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said in a post on X Tuesday that the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports is "an act of war and thus a violation of the ceasefire" and attacking Iranian merchant ships and detaining their crew members were even more serious violations.
"Iran knows how to neutralize restrictions, how to defend its interests, and how to resist bullying," Araghchi wrote in his post.
Mehdi Mohammadi, an advisor to Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, also said the U.S. blockade must be met with a military response, dismissing Trump's ceasefire extension announcement as "meaningless".
"Extending the ceasefire by Trump has no meaning. The losing side cannot dictate terms. Continuing the blockade is no different from bombing and must be met with a military response. Moreover, any extension of the ceasefire by Trump is certainly a way to buy time for a surprise attack. Now is the time for Iran to take the initiative," Mohammadi posted on X.
Trump extends ceasefire; Iran vows military response to naval blockade
