AIIB to invest in emergency public health infrastructure in China
- By Zhang Liying
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E-mail China.org.cn, February 10, 2020
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) announced on Monday that it has been in active discussions with the Chinese government to strengthen the country's emergency public health infrastructure.
Subject to the approval of its Board of Directors, AIIB stands ready to support China through public health infrastructure loans to meet the country's immediate and longer-term public health needs, according to an AIIB press release.
AIIB President Jin Liqun said, "People from over 50 nations work at AIIB and we have all made China our home. With the full impacts of this epidemic still unknown, we want to do our part as residents of China to help stop its spread."
"In line with AIIB's mission, we will also work with the Chinese government to identify effective public health infrastructure investments that will prevent the rapid spread of future outbreaks," Jin said.
To give back to the community where AIIB staff live and work, the bank is also matching staff donations to purchase medical equipment to help China control the spread of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), said the press release.
The statement cited the World Health Organization: "Public health infrastructures contribute directly to final global public goods for health provision (e.g., sewers) and indirectly (e.g., education)."
The press release stated that further investment from multilateral partners, such as AIIB, can help strengthen China's public health infrastructure, which can have a lasting and global health impact.
Jin noted, "We look forward to working with other multilateral development banks, private partners, and other funders who wish to join hands in bolstering China and other members' ability to respond to and deal with epidemics and other public health emergencies. These types of investments will not only improve the health of Chinese citizens but can have a global impact in terms of prevention and education."
Headquartered in Beijing, AIIB began its operations in January 2016 and has now grown to 102 approved members worldwide.
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