RAMALLAH, March 15 (Xinhua) -- Palestine on Sunday praised China as a model pioneer of containing the outbreak of COVID-19 with its strict measures.
Saeb Erekat, secretary general of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), expressed Palestinians' solidarity with China in facing the COVID-19.
He made the remarks came during a meeting held in Ramallah with Guo Wei, director of the Office of the People's Republic of China to the State of Palestine.
"The Chinese leadership sets an example in the rapid blockade of the epidemic and building health institutions in a short time," Erekat said in a statement sent to Xinhua.
"All of us respect and appreciate the Chinese people who adhered to effective and accurate decisions of their government," he said.
"The bold decisions led to limiting the spread of coronavirus," the Palestinian senior official added.
Erekat also thanked the Chinese leadership for their readiness to provide medical aid to help the Palestinian people defeat the disease.
On March 5, the Palestinian Authority declared a state of emergency for one month right after the first COVID-19 case was discovered in the West Bank city of Bethlehem.
Ibrahim Melhem, spokesman of the Palestinian government, earlier announced that the number of Palestinians infected with COVID-19 has grown to 38, with 37 in Bethlehem and one in Tulkarem city.
The Gaza Strip has so far reported no coronavirus cases.
