Hanoi mayor Nguyen Duc Chung handed over medical equipment to representatives of the French Embassy in Vietnam on May 18 as a gift from the Vietnamese capital in support of French localities which are thick in the fight against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The medical supplies provided include 200,000 face masks which are bound for French localities such as Ille-de-France, Toulouse, and Choisy-le-Roi. 

Indeed, all of the face masks were manufactured by Vietnamese businesses and meet the high-quality standards set by the Vietnamese Ministry of Health and have since obtained the necessary CE marking in line with European standards. 

Upon addressing those in attendance at the hand-over ceremony, Mayor Chung emphasised the spirit of international co-operation and solidarity being crucial factors in slowing the spread and mitigating the impact of the COVID-19 for the entire society, various economies, countries, and regions. 

The municipal leader added that in light of the Vietnam-France strategic partnership and friendly relations between Hanoi and French localities, the Vietnamese capital has shown a strong desire to share its resources in order to help both French authorities and citizens deal with the existing challenges brought about by the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Sharing this sentiment, Nicolas Warnery, the French Ambassador to Vietnam, expressed his profound gratitude to the meaningful gift given by Hanoi’s administration and people, with the supplies set to provide a great source of encouragement for French people in the ongoing fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. 

He underscored the importance of sharing and solidarity in the context of the battle against the virus, something which will help both countries fully stamp out the epidemic in the near future.