On March 22, President Xi Jinping sent a letter of condolences to Chancellor Angela Merkel, which aroused warm response in Germany. On the next day, Mr. Stephan Pusch, head of Heinsberg County of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, wrote to the Chinese side, expressing respect for China’s fight against COVID-19 and thanks for the donations to Heinsberg by overseas Chinese. He hoped the Chinese side could provide further assistance. With the promotion and coordination by Mr. Wan Gang, Chinese Chairman of China-Germany Dialogue Forum, as well as the support from Chinese Foreign Ministry, Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs and Chinese Consulate General in Dusseldorf, a working group was established to organize a donation of 70 trunks of N95 masks, medical protective equipments by Chinese private enterprises to Heinsberg. The donation arrived in Dusseldorf on April 15 and was received by Mr. Stephan Pusch in person.

On May 22, Mr. Pusch wrote to China- Germany Dialogue Forum to express his gratitude to the Forum and the Chinese side in particular, for the donation and assistance to Heinsberg during the battle against COVID-19. Mr. Pusch stressed that the donation represented a spirit of solidarity at this difficult time. In a time of global transformation, no one knows for sure how the world will evolve. We need reliable partners and appreciate the friendship between Germany and China .