Chinese and African people will never forget Chinese medical teams' contribution to their friendship, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun at a press briefing in Beijing on Tuesday.
Guo made the remarks in response to media query about the death of Zhang Junqiao, head of China's 27th medical aid mission to Tanzania, who lost his life while saving a drowning local woman.
Zhang, a 38-year-old anesthesiologist from Shandong, died on June 15 while trying to rescue a drowning local woman off the coast of Dar es Salaam. Witness photos showed him holding her above water and helping her into a life jacket before disappearing beneath the waves. Despite colleagues' efforts to save him, Zhang could not be revived.
"Comrade Zhang Junqiao heroically sacrificed his life to rescue a local woman, and he put into practice the spirit of China-Africa friendship and cooperation with his life, while carrying on the spirit of Chinese medical teams of fearing no hardship, being dedicated, saving the dying and healing the wounded, and laving all without a boundary. We extend our sincere sympathies to Comrade Zhang Junqiao's family, and we feel saddened for having lost such an outstanding member of the Chinese medical aid team to Africa," said Guo.
"Since 1963, China has delivered medical aid to Africa for 62 years. And it has been 58 years since China first dispatched a medical aid team to Tanzania. The members of these medical teams have worked to benefit the local people with their benevolent mind and medical proficiency, and brought up a medical team of their own for the local people. The contribution of the Chinese medical teams to China-Africa friendship will never be forgotten by the Chinese and African people, nor by history," he said.
Medical teams' contribution to China-Africa ties remembered forever: spokesman
Medical teams' contribution to China-Africa ties remembered forever: spokesman
