Adversity reveals virtue, and hard times prove true friendship. In this battle against COVID-19, all foreign-invested companies in Wuxi share the concern of our 6.59 million people. Apart from your cooperation in taking prevention and control measures and resuming business, you have also extended a helping hand by donating more than 70 million yuan ($15 million) in cash and 100 million yuan in supplies to our Wuxi, which has deeply moved us. Hereby, please accept our heartfelt thanks and highest respect.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, General Secretary Xi Jinping, providing direct command, has sent out a series of important instructions and comments on resolutely stemming the spread of the virus and winning this battle against the epidemic. The Chinese government has taken the most comprehensive, rigorous and thorough prevention and control measures. As a result, the situation across the country is changing for the better. Acting upon the guiding principles outlined in the important speeches of General Secretary Xi, and according to the instructions from national and provincial levels, the Communist Party of China Wuxi Committee and Wuxi Municipal People's Government have taken a strict and people-centered approach to epidemic prevention and control, which has generated positive results so far. Up to March 3, there had been no newly confirmed case in Wuxi for 16 days, 50 out of the 55 confirmed patients had been cured and discharged from hospitals with no deaths, and all cities (counties) and districts of Wuxi have been moved to the category of low-risk areas. Facts speak volumes for China's capacity and determination to secure ultimate success in this fight, and have also demonstrated the confidence and capacity of Wuxi in safeguarding the health and safety of its people and all investors in our city.
We are now entering the new phase of pushing for a balance between epidemic prevention and control and socio-economic development. We have promptly introduced policy measures such as "20 Policies" in support of all companies in Wuxi and "12 Policies" specifically in favor of foreign-invested companies in the city. We are the first in Jiangsu province to provide nucleic acid test services for companies planning to resume production. We have adopted innovative IT applications such as the Wuxi Health QR Code, and delivered case-by-case precision services for companies, in a bid to ensure safety and order during the resumption of work and production. So far, companies above designated size in the city have all resumed operations, while 93 percent of foreign-invested companies have resumed production. To ensure projects can move ahead as planned and companies can go public, we have also set up cloud-based platforms for online contract signing ceremonies and listing ceremonies. It feels good to see the sun coming out after the storm.
As one of the first cities to open its arms to the world after China adopted the reform and opening-up policies in 1978, Wuxi has been working hand in hand with many foreign-invested companies to forge ahead. All of us have shared weal and woe, and become a community of shared development. Facing the test of this epidemic, we will stand together as an indestructible defense line against the virus, formulate and implement supportive policies for companies, create a better business environment, and help companies to solve problems and regain growth momentum. We hope that, while doing a good job in epidemic prevention and control, all foreign-invested companies in Wuxi can maintain stable production and daily operations, expand production capacity, and step up the pace in resuming operations. We also hope that you can stay confident about doing business in Wuxi, bring the best resources and introduce more like-minded partners to our city. If your overseas headquarters are in need of knowledge on how to prevent and control the virus, we are ready to share our experiences and practices, and provide as much support as we can. We believe that through our concerted efforts, we will be able to achieve an outright win in the fight against the epidemic in the near future and usher in a better tomorrow for you and us.
Wish all friends of FIEs in Wuxi and your employees health and luck, and every success in your business.
Huang Qin
Secretary of CPC Wuxi Municipal Committee
Du Xiaogang
Mayor of Wuxi Municipal People's Government
March 4, 2020
