Dedicated diplomats excel overseas during pandemic

After Han told Qu Xing, the UNESCO deputy director-general, about the message through WeChat, Qu said he was thrilled to learn about it and was sorry he could not attend the meeting in-person this year.

Qu, a veteran researcher of foreign affairs, was appointed China's ambassador to Belgium in 2014, before becoming a deputy head of UNESCO four years later.

He said he hoped the pandemic could be controlled as soon as possible so that he could attend the two sessions next year.

Han said, "It is not only the wish of Mr Qu, but also of our entire group to witness the return of the four members to the two sessions next year and to see daily life worldwide getting back to normal."

According to State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, over the past year, "the most demanding "task on the diplomatic front has been the battle against COVID-19, with Chinese diplomats doing their utmost to enable the domestic response and joining with the rest of the world in the fight.

They carried out "the largest emergency humanitarian operations since the founding of the People's Republic of China" and played their role in the country's contribution to the global response, Wang told reporters on March 7.

Speaking about the major tasks for Chinese diplomats this year, Wang said they would further promote international cooperation against COVID-19, advance cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative, facilitate an early recovery for the world economy, and strengthen the global response to challenges such as climate change.