With a note stating "United, We Will Win" on the packages, Zhuhai has donated 100,000 medical masks to its Sister City Esparza to help contain the COVID-19 coronavirus in Costa Rica.

Upon being informed of Esparza's epidemic situation, the Zhuhai Foreign Affairs Office expeditiously coordinated with local health and customs authorities to ship the supplies on May 15, according to Zhou Song, an investigator with the office.

Donation ceremony [Photo courtesy Zhang Weining / Zhuhai Daily]

In February, Zhuhai received a donation of 126,000 masks and other epidemic supplies that was made through the Costa Rica Council for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification of China in Esparza.

Gu Genhe, president of the council, was born in Zhuhai. He says he paid attention to the epidemic situation in his hometown, ran everywhere for contributions from the overseas Chinese community, and changed airline selections several times to ensure getting the supplies to Zhuhai at the earliest.

According to Gu, the epidemic in Costa Rica is critical and he stayed home in quarantine for more than two months. He said timely assistance from his home country now gives overseas Chinese more confidence in winning the battle against COVID-19. 

There are 50,000 overseas Chinese, nine Chinese-funded enterprises, 500 employees, and more than 50 volunteer Chinese language teachers and overseas students in Costa Rica. Zhuhai forged friendly exchange relationship with Esparza, capital of the canton of Esparza in Puntarenas Province on the Pacific Ocean, in November 2019.