On the afternoon of Apr.21, the China-Africa Leadership Development Institute (CALDI) convened a video conference with Tsinghua alumni and Chinese enterprises in Africa, in order to share their experience of fighting COVID-19 as well as Tsinghua science research updates and think tank perspectives. The university colleagues and guests presenting speeches included Yang Bin, Vice President and Provost of Tsinghua University and CALDI Co-President; Former Ambassador Kuang Weilin, Head of the Chinese Mission to the African Union; and Prof. Engida Getachew, Former UNESCO DDG and current CALDI Co-President. Those delivering lectures included Prof. Zhang Linqi, Chair of the Comprehensive AIDS Research Center and Global Health and Infectious Diseases Center in Tsinghua University’s School of Medicine; Prof. Wei Lai, Vice President of Tsinghua Chang Gung Hospital; Prof. Jing Jun, Director of the Public Health Research Center, School of Social Science; and Prof. Peng Zongchao, Director of the Center for Crisis Management Research and Party Secretary of the School of Public Policy and Management. Prof. Liu Huiqin, Party Secretary of the Institute of Education and CALDI Executive Director, hosted the conference.
Vice President and Provost Yang Bin introduced CALDI and Tsinghua’s Global Strategy. He emphasized that science is our best weapon, and through it he hoped to build cooperation and solidarity in the fight against COVID-19 with Tsinghua alumni and Chinese enterprises in Africa. Former Ambassador Kuang Weilin，CALDI Co-President Engida Getachew, and Zhuo Wu, Chairman of the Kenya Chinese Chamber of Commerce, made welcome speeches. They all applauded the leadership CALDI showed during the pandemic, and said they hoped CALDI could make a positive contribution towards African capacity development and Sino-Africa cooperation in tackling the challenges created by COVID-19.
During the lectures, Prof. Wei Lai introduced the COVID-19 ‘8-in-1 Intelligent Monitoring and Control System’, which integrates key technologies like big data, the Internet of Things, and artificial intelligence, with clinical medicine. Prof. Zhang Linqi reported the successful isolation of monoclonal antibodies from COVID-19 patients, and described how the latest progress in antibody discoveries addresses unmet medical needs, providing a powerful tool for clinical trials and eventually preventing and treating SARS-CoV-2 infections. Prof. Jing Jun provided an overview of the Chinese experience in fighting the virus and shared the significance of research on multiple pre-warning mechanisms, as well as the comparative research analysis between confirmed African cases and health resources. He also introduced the accomplishments of African IMPH graduates working on the medical frontlines in their respective countries. Prof. Peng Zongchao shared pandemic prevention and control policy analysis, and underscored the importance of in-time and even preemptive crisis management. He recommended that the African leadership deal with risks using a comprehensive approach, and take precautionary measures over a relatively long period. The alumni representative Lu Duobao, the editor of Xinhua News Agency, introduced Sino-Africa public sentiment in a bi-cultural context.
Enterprises attending included China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation-Ethiopia, China Mobile-East Africa, China International Water and Electric Corporation-Uganda，China Communications Construction Company-East Africa, China Merchants Group-Djibouti, China Nonferrous Metal Mining Group, Wuhan Iron and Steel Group-Nigeria, Huawei Africa Cloud, Transsion， Sunon Asogli Power-Ghana，Bordar Group, Beiqi (Group) Foton Automobile, First Automotive Works Group-South Africa, and Walvax Biotechnology Company. Alumni and students attending included Shi Zheng, General Secretary of Tsinghua Alumni Association in South Africa. CALDI General Secretary Associate Prof. Xie Zheping and Office Deputy Director Lina Qin also attended the conference.
